Ice Godling
by Kyandi-Akatensei
Summary: Hakkai's past has always bothered him. His dreams always take him back to that night when he lost what was most important to him. But now he has his friends and a mission. But the Merciful Goddess won't let him forget his past especially when she throws in a young half demon godling who has just as much to do with Hakkai's past as Hakkai has to do with her future. Rated T Hakkai/OC
1. Mixed Feelings

_**Summary:**_ Hakkai's past has always bothered him. His dreams always take him back to that night when he lost what was most important to him. But now he has his friends and a mission. But the Merciful Goddess won't let him forget his past, especially when she throws in a young half demon godling who has just as much to do with Hakkai's past as Hakkai has to do with her future. Rated T Hakkai/OC

Kyandi: Hi everyone, I'm Kyandi-sama!

Yuai: And I'm her OC, Yukinemhimai Choi.

Kyandi: You have a really hard name to pronounce.

Yuai: You made it up.

Kyandi: I know. Everyone just call her Yuai. Believe me its way easier. I made up the name and I can't even say it without having to pause and sound it out.

Yuai: Just sad.

Kyandi: I know right. Anyway this is my first Saiyuki fan fic but I'm really well known in Prince of Tennis. So everyone please enjoy and review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 1 Mixed Feelings

If there was one thing Sanzo hated the most it was having to stay in a temple. He preferred sleeping outside in the Jeep rather then staying in a temple, being fawned over by monks. Hakkai didn't mind it. He was just glad not to be sleeping out in the open in case it rained.

Gojyo's only complaint was that he couldn't smoke. That and the only woman near them was a holy priestess sworn to maidenhood. As for Goku…as long as he food he didn't care one way or the other. So all in all the mood was split in half between Sanzo's and Gojyo's bad moods and Hakkai and Goku's good moods. Then again Sanzo always seemed to be in a generally bad mood for one reason or another.

"Man I need a smoke!" Gojyo complained, dropping his chin into one hand. He was sitting in a window seat leaning back against the window sill. His foot, propped up on the opposite knee, was bouncing rapidly in an annoying fashion that was slowly working on Sanzo's nerves.

"They're giving us a place to stay and food to eat when it raining. You can survive one night." Hakkai told him pleasantly from where he sat at the table with Sanzo, a book in his hand, but with the rain hitting the window he wasn't really focused on the book.

"They can cook too! It tasted great!" Goku exclaimed happily from his bed. Sanzo remained quiet. He wouldn't admit it but without a cigarette his nerves were even more thin then usual. It didn't help that Gojyo kept bouncing that cursed leg of his.

He was about to snap and throw something, anything at Gojyo when there was a knock on the door. All four males turned as the door opened to reveal one of the younger monks. "The priestess would like to see all of you. She said it was important." he told the four, bowing respectfully to them.

Hakkai shared a look with Sanzo, before the two got to their feet. Goku gave Gojyo a confused look as the two followed, which the red head shared. The four were given no farther explanation as they were lead to the alter room of the temple where the young monk bowed them into the room.

Once inside the door closed behind them. Gojyo and Goku looked back at the door before looking at Hakkai who was taking in the whole room. Sanzo on the other hand was focused on the alter at the head of the room.

Knelling at the alter as if praying was the cloaked form of the priestess. "Priest Sanzo I have received word from the Merciful Goddess for you." the woman said in a low voice without turning to look at the four men.

"The Merciful Goddess?" Sanzo asked shocked by the sudden message from the goddess. "Yes. She spoke to me of a future ally of your's. One you will need to complete your mission with you and your companions all in one piece." the priestess remarked.

Sanzo glanced back at his friends. The look said it all. Sanzo was _**not**_ thrilled at the thought of having yet another companion to annoy him. "Another companion?" Sanzo asked managing to keep the distaste out of his voice. "Yes and no." came the soft answer making all four males turn to look at the woman's cloaked back.

"What do you mean, Priestess?" Hakkai asked. "This companion will go as quickly as they come and will come and go as they see fit." the priestess said though it only seemed to confuse the males even more. "Who is this person that the goddess spoke of then?" Sanzo asked interested to find out who the goddess saw fit to add to their group.

In Sanzo's opinion he didn't need another companion but he couldn't question a god. Especially not the Merciful Goddess. He had a feeling that even if he did, she would still do as she pleased. Gods could be that way.

"This person will find you, not you finding them. When the time is right your paths will cross and you will find yourself before them." the priestess said, resettling the dark cloth around her as she spoke the words. "How will we know this person?" Hakkai asked. Sanzo couldn't help feeling like the priestess was beating around the bush.

"This person bares the scars of a bloody, hard past, just as you four young men, but upon the snowy skin of a small back and strong shoulders. Despite this hard past this person smiles brightly for sake of those around them." the priestess said.

Sanzo raised an eyebrow at Hakkai who shrugged. What were they suppose to do? Check the backs of everyone they crossed paths with? "But you will know this person upon first meeting of the eyes. The child bear the mark of a half breed child of a god and….a demon." the priestess added.

"A god and demon!?" Gojyo asked shocked. He was well aware of the taboo that was the children of humans and demons. Each was marked with red hair and eyes. But a demon and god?

"Yes. A child of god and demon. This child bears the silvery white eyes, the icy eyes, of a child of both races. Eyes the color of gleaming ice that see straight to a person's soul." came the low reply from the woman.

Sanzo looked at his friends. "Be careful Priest Sanzo. Do not over look this message. This child you're destined to meet plays an important role in the past as well as the future of your party. Though they, their self, do not know it yet, you will need what this child can provide. Unless you wish to lose your companions along the way as well as possibly fail at your mission. Do not be quick to judge." the priestess warned him.

With that the four men were dismissed to return to their room. When the door closed behind their departing forms the cloaked figure turned pulling the hood back to let wavy black hair fall out and down her back. A playful grin twisted the pink lips up. Staring from under the hood was not the priestess but the Merciful Goddess herself.

The god got to her feet with a chuckle to herself. "Hopefully he got it. Then again he'll probably just be his usual stubborn self." she remarked to herself, one hand going to her hip as she stared at the door the four men had vanished through.

"This is going to become more interesting. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they meet their new playmate." she added to herself with another chuckle. Now just to set things on track.

END

Kyandi: It's short for a first chapter I know and I apologize, but I'll have the next chapter up really soon.

Yuai: Like within the next twelve hours soon.

Kyandi: Yep, but first I have to sleep. So everyone enjoy and review!

Yuai: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye bye!


	2. Helping Hand

Kyandi: Hey everyone. I'm going to post another chapter and hopefully will get a review.

Yuai: We don't know if you like it though if you don't review.

Kyandi: So please review.

Yuai: Right. So we'll go ahead and get the next chapter up.

Kyandi: So enjoy and review.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 2 Helping Hand

A child of both god and demon? Had such a person ever existed before? Of course there had been stories of children of humans and gods, but not demons and gods. The questions were turning in all four males' heads.

If the union of a demon and human was a taboo, then the union between demon and god had to be outright forbidden. That was just too much power in one person. Or did the power of the two neutralize each other?

Would this person be subjected to the minus waves? Too many question with no answers in sight. And it bugged Sanzo the most, leaving him constantly pondering over the possible future mess to come. While he worried about possible issues that could arise from a child of such lineage, Hakkai was trying to figure out how a demon and god would even come to meet let alone fall in love.

"Are you going to ignore it?" Sanzo looked at Hakkai who had spoke. The brunette was focused on the road ahead. "Does it matter?" Sanzo asked grumpily. "Well seeing how a god wants this person to join us….perhaps it should matter." Hakkai replied with a smile.

"Not as if there isn't enough of us as it is." Gojyo grumbled from the back. "I wonder if he'll be able to cook!" Goku exclaimed. "Do you ever think about anything other then your stomach?" Gojyo growled hitting Goku in the back of the head. "What'd you do that for!?" Goku complained as he rubbed the back of his head.

With that another fight started. "Alright you two, time to calm down back there." Hakkai called back but the two fighting didn't hear him. The bickering continued, the two at each other throats as they yelled names at each other.

As usual it slowly wore on Sanzo's nerves until the blonde snapped. "If you two don't shut up I'm going to shoot both of you!" Sanzo snapped. Gojyo and Goku instantly squeezed back into a corner of the back.

"At this range he can't miss!" Gojyo exclaimed covering his face as both he and Goku forgot about their fight completely. Hakkai chuckled to himself. It was the same old thing despite the knowledge that four would soon be five.

Silence didn't last long but that was normal. Even when the four stopped in the woods to camp out Goku and Gojyo fought and complained. "Why do we have to camp out?" Goku whined. "Because we're four days away from the next village." Hakkai replied as he cooked their dinner over a camp fire.

Goku and Gojyo both groaned, Goku flopping back on to his back. Hakkai chuckled as he continued to cook. It was going to be a long night. But no where near as long as the next four days were going to be. They just didn't know it yet.

-0-0-0-0-

"Where the hell do you guys keep coming from!?" Goku cried in annoyance. "I'm getting really sick of this." Gojyo agreed as the two fought off a horde of demons attacking them. A dust cloud of sand rose up around them. When it cleared Hakkai and Sanzo stood back to back.

"Is this demon promotion week or something?" Sanzo asked. "It may be exactly that." Hakkai agreed with a grim smile. "After all, this is the….third day in a row!" Hakkai added taking down another group of demons. "What is this, "The Lord Sanzo Party Assault Vacation Package"? How come there aren't any babes around?" Gojyo asked, as he stopped next to Hakkai.

"I think that vacation package comes with full course meals!" Goku added popping up beside Sanzo. "They have all you can eat tour these days." Hakkai informed him. "Wow! I like the sound of that!" Goku exclaimed happily.

"All the same, these guys are really trying my patience." Sanzo said interrupting the two as he looked around them at the horde of demons. "Okay then, looks like its about ten to one." Gojyo said scanning the demons around them.

"Gojyo, to your right!" Hakkai called as a demon attacked Gojyo. Just then a foot appeared to the side of the demon's head, swinging towards his head. With a mighty kick, whoever it was sent the demon flying to the side into more demons. Several of the demons were bowled over as their fellow flew into them.

The Sanzo party stared at the heap of demons as they worked to untangle themselves. "My, my look at all of these demons." All four of the males turned to the person now standing not to far from them scanning the horde around them.

It was a female who stood just a little taller then Goku at about five foot, five. Her frame was lean and lithe, suggesting that fighting, like the kick she had just graced the unfortunate demon with, was a normal activity for her.

Though she was lean she was not without curves which leant her an older look. She wore simple jean shorts with a silver halter top that tied in a bow at the lower part of her back and the back of her neck. Over that she wore a white shawl like cloth that draped over her shoulders to hide her back and that wrapped around the upper part of her arms.

Her hair was what caught attention though. It was as white as freshly fallen snow. The bangs parted in the middle of her forehead and fell to curl in around the pretty sloping features of the face while the rest was tied with a bright green ribbon just under her right ear, leaving the tail of hair to fall over her right shoulder.

Pinned into her hair just above her ear was a small hair clip that consisted of white flowers. Hanging from the middle of the flowers was a gold string that lead down to a small cross and two small silver bells. The cross looked familiar to Hakkai but he simply pushed it aside.

She had a young face leading Hakkai to guess she was about sixteen if even that. Her full pink stained lips, which stood out against the lightly tanned ivory of her skin, were curled up in a smile as she observed her work on the demons. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglass but the tips of white lashes could be seen over the top of the lenses.

All four males of the Sanzo Party were shocked with the sudden appearance of the girl. She turned to the four and smiled. "Sorry about the interference. You looked as if you could use a little help." she told them in a soft voice.

Hakkai gave her a polite smile. "Thank you for the consideration but we have it under control. You should step back before you get hu-" The girl cut Hakkai off. "Their dead you know." she told them. The four stared at her.

Before any could ask one demon rushed her from the side. The girl didn't even turn for, as the demon neared, the shawl around her shoulders move and a small creature jumped out of it attacking the demon's face. The girl turned then as the demon fought to remove the small icy gray-blue creature from its face. "Their just corpses. Can't you sense the wrongness in them?" she asked the males.

Hakkai turned to look at the demons. "She has a point. The keep falling and falling and get back up again every time. Their just like zombies in a horror film." Hakkai remarked. "Exactly." the girl replied. Sanzo, with the new information, grabbed his sutra, using it to finish off the demons once and for all.

"Thank you very much, young miss. You just saved us more days of fighting the same demons over and over." Hakkai told the girl. The girl simply smiled as Gojyo appeared beside her. "Well hello Miss Cutie." he greeted with his flirting smile.

"You are aware I am only fifteen right?" she asked looking up at him. Gojyo all but jumped away from her causing the girl to cover a giggle while Hakkai smiled. "I was joking. I'm eighteen." she told Gojyo. Gojyo frowned. Apparently he didn't find it funny. Hakkai stared at the girl when suddenly a furry little creature appeared on her shoulder giving a small, "Mew!"

The girl looked back at the creature. "Good job, Kokoro!" the girl told the creature as she scratched it's small chin. It oddly resembled a cat but with two tails and bigger ears that ended in icy silver tuffs. Up close its fur looks like it was made of ice.

Hakkai leaned closer to look at the odd creature. "What an odd little creature. Its cute." Hakkai told the girl making her smile. "Her name is Kokoro. She's an Ice Koken'nin." the girl told him. Kokoro gave a pleased mew as Hakkai scratched her chin.

"She's so cute!" Goku remarked staring at the Koken'nin. "Not to sound rude but just what are you, a young girl, doing out here?" Hakkai asked. The girl smiled.

"Traveling. Kokoro and I are kind of like nomads. We don't stay in one place for long. We happened to come by the four of you by chance." she told Hakkai. "And you are?" Sanzo asked rather bluntly. "Come on now, Sanzo be nice." Hakkai told the blond man who simply ignored him.

The girl waved a hand. "No its alright. It was rude of me not to introduce myself to begin with." she told Hakkai with a smile. "I'm Yukinemhimai Choi." she told them, the long first name rolling off her tongue so fast the four were left staring at her strangely.

"Um….come again?" Gojyo asked. The girl grinned. "You probably will never be able to say it right without having to slow down to think. No one outside of my family has been able to say it right." she told them.

"Just call me Yuai. Yuai Choi." she added. Now that she had said her name where they could understand Goyjo's eyebrows shot up at the last name. "Choi? As in the demon clan, Choi?" he asked making all eyes turned to him. Yuai's face lit up.

"You know about my clan!?" she asked with a smile. "Yeah. There were a few around when I was little. They came through my village a bit." Gojyo replied. "But I've never seen a female one before and certainly none as young as you." he added.

"Females of my clan rarely choose the path of the warrior and thus never leave the safety of the clan's city walls. I choose to be a warrior of my clan and set out on my own at an earlier age." Yuai replied with a slight shrug.

The other three watched as Gojyo and Yuai talked, none quite understanding what was going on. "I can see why they don't choose to be warriors. With that strange oath thing your clan does I wouldn't either." Gojyo told her. Yuai gave him a grim smile.

"Strange oath?" Hakkai asked now butting into the two's conversation. Yuai rubbed her neck. "It's a long tale." she told him. "How about we give you a ride to the next village and you can tell us all about it." Hakkai offered with a smile. Yuai smiled back at him. "Sounds great!"

END

Kyandi: Well there it is. I'm working on longer chapters.

Yuai: Also we use events and diolouge from the actual anime just so you all know.

Kyandi: Yep. I read the manga too, but I didn't have access to the manga when I was writing this.

Yuai: So she used the anime.

Kyandi: It works.

Yuai: That it does.

Kyandi: Anyway I hope you all enjoy and please review. Like we said we don't know if you like it unless you review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye bye!


	3. Clan Of Ice

Kyandi: Howdy hey.

Yuai: We have another chapter for you all!

Kyandi: Yep. In this you'll get to learn a little bit about Yuai and her clan.

Yuai: We also want to let you know that we used the diolouge from the anime so at some parts you can actually follow along. A little.

Kyandi: Yep. So enjoy and review. Please Review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 3 Clan Of Ice

"So your clan has these things called Blood Oaths?" Hakkai asked glancing over his shoulder at Yuai who sat in the back of the jeep with Gojyo and Goku. She was sitting between the two and thankfully this kept them from fighting.

Yuai nodded. "That's right. My clan, the Choi clan is a clan of ice demons warriors. Those of us who are destined for the path of the warrior, are trained from the time we're toddlers to fight and protect. To know undying loyalty and devotion. To protect at all cost, even at the cost of our lives, is the lessons we learn from infancy." Yuai told them.

"We start our training at the age of five, when we receive our power limiters. When we turn twenty we finish our warrior training and are free to make our first Blood Oath, but not without knowing the risk it poses to our people." she added. "Risk?" Sanzo asked glancing over his shoulder at Yuai.

"A Blood Oath is an oath cast in blood and the magic of our clan. We warriors typically make our oaths with those of high spiritual stature. Like you, Priest. It was our way to show our loyalty and peacefulness towards humans. Our own way of stopping any disputes between our clan and humans." Yuai told him.

"The magic that runs through the blood of our clan is very strong. A gift from our goddess, Korinochino Megami. It remains tightly sealed away. That is until we turn twenty years of age. After that we must make oaths. Even the women. But most of the women choose life oaths with their husbands. Once the oath is forged there is no turning back until the oath is fulfilled. If a warrior shall fail to fulfill the oath…they suffer a very painful death in which their power of ice freezes and shatters their bodies from the inside out." Yuai said.

Hakkai almost stomped on the brakes. As it was Sanzo turned to stare at the girl who was completely straight face. "Should they fail to make another oath which will drain most of the magic from us, within seven moon rises of the last, they suffer the same fate." she added.

At this Hakkai glance over his shoulder at the young girl. "That's a bit much don't you think?" Goku asked, more then a little creeped out. "I told you it was strange." Gojyo replied. Yuai simply shook her head.

"It only seems that way to you because you didn't grow up as I did. When the magic in our blood in released upon our twentieth birthday its too much for us. When we make the oaths, it drains most of the magic too keep the contract intact. To me this is normal. This is what is expected of me as a warrior of my clan. Since I do not wish to take a husband now, or any time soon, the path of the warrior was my only choice." Yuai explained.

"Though some of us take personal oaths. Those are stronger, because of the sheer emotions behind it. It makes our power stronger. Sadly it also means that shall we fail the death is….well far more painful. It extends over a long period of time, starting here at the heart." Yuai added tapping her chest over her heart.

"My father always said that those who make personal oaths are foolish and wish for death and pain because almost all of them fail in the end. I have not heard of one yet that actually succeeded in completely their contract." she added.

"Almost all of them?" Hakkai asked. "Yes. You see there is one major difference between a normal oath and a personal one. Like, say I made an oath with your priest friend here and the oath was that I had to simply protect him on a long journey and see to it that he makes it to wherever he is going, alive." she said as example.

"The oath is completed when we arrive at the destination and he is still alive. With personal oaths the oath is only completed when those involved decide it is. A warrior only fails when they believe they have failed. If they start believing with all of their being that they have failed or are failing then the process starts." Yuai explained.

"That sounds complicated." Goku said. Yuai rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't really know how else to explain it except that personal oaths are bad." she told him. "As I said it's a very long tale. My clan follows strict upbringings and traditions." Yuai added.

"And this little lady?" Gojyo asked scratching Kokoro's chin. "The Koken'nin are, as their name suggest, guardians. My clan raises them and they live to be very old. When a member of my clan is born they are matched with a Koken'nin that was born at the same time, if not a little before them. Kokoro was matched with me, as her father was matched with my brother and her grandfather with my father." Yuai told him. "That leaves me with a question." Hakkai said drawing Yuai's attention to him. "Yes?" she asked.

"You say you're training is not completed until your twenty. Yet here you are away from your clan. Why is that?" Hakkai asked her. "Oh….because I am the last of my clan. They were all killed." All four men glanced at Yuai who was scratching Kokoro's head, her head bowed and her mouth sat in a line.

She was obviously saddened by the subject of conversation. "It was a demon called the Harpy of the West." Yuai added. "My brother…he saved me. Placed my power limiter on me and saw to it I was safe before he died. My mother and father died with the rest of my clan. Only Kokoro and I survived. That was about four years ago." Yuai said quietly.

"I'm sorry I asked." Hakkai said apologizing to the girl. "No, no, its fine. I like any chance to speak of my parents and brother. They were wonderful people and people I will never be able to forget." Yuai told him giving his back a smile.

"So does that mean you've already made your first oath?" Gojyo asked Yuai. Silence followed the question making Sanzo look over his shoulder at the girl who was petting Kokoro. "I, as my father would call it, foolishly kick started the effects of the oaths. I took my oath when I was fifteen….five years before the effects were to start." Yuai told them.

-0-0-0-0-

The rest of the ride had been tense. For some reason the idea of this young, brightly smiling girl, doing something that could possibly cause her a painful death, just didn't sit right with the four friends. But Yuai didn't seem to see it that way.

"The oath was made, formed, and signed in blood and magic. Now I must fulfill it. All I can say is that that is simply the way I was raised." had been what she had said when Sanzo questioned her. She saw no problem with her fate and had simply smiled at them all. It was probably because she didn't seem upset that was the reason why the four were uneasy about it.

But despite how they felt about it the subject was dropped, though Hakkai was still really curious as to what her oath consisted of since she had no one with her but for the small Koken'nin that was her constant companion. But he kept the questions to himself as they finally reached the village.

When they entered the village on foot, Kokoro claimed a perch on Hakkai's shoulders seeming to take a liking to the man and seeing to it that Yuai had to stick with the males for a little longer. Goku went nuts looking around at all the stalls, Sanzo and Gojyo just behind him, with Hakkai and Yuai bringing up the rear.

Hakkai looked down at the girl who was still wearing the sunglasses as she looked around her. "Do you mind if I ask where the person you made the oath with, is?" he asked her. "She's dead." Yuai replied. Hakkai looked down at her.

"But," Yuai gave him a smile cutting him off. "It was not her that the oath was about. She was simply the signer." Yuai explained. Hakkai understood. She had made an oath with someone that was about someone else. "And that person is where?" Hakkai asked.

"He's traveling. I've been following him for the last three years as he goes from place to place. He seems to be a very restless person." Yuai told him with a smile. "Does he know?" Hakkai asked. Yuai shook her head.

"You see the oath was made with a woman who cared about his well being. On her deathbed she made the oath with me, making me swear to protect him, to see to it that he is never alone. As part of the oath, I am not allowed to tell him outright that she and I made the oath about him. I owed her my sanity, as well as my life and could not refuse. She loved him very much and was about to die." Yuai told him.

She looked up at him and smiled. "What kind of person would I be if I denied her?" she asked. Hakkai gave her a smile back but even he had to admit that it seemed weak. "So you protect him?" Hakkai asked. Yuai nodded.

"He gets himself in a lot of trouble. And I do mean a lot. Almost every other day. He can be rather tiring but," Yuai smiled softly to herself. "I believe he's worth it. He doesn't know a thing about me, despite I knowing everything about him. He seems to be lost sometimes. In himself I mean. He questions himself a lot." she told him.

Hakkai could tell, that in her time following this man, she had grown quite fond of him. Of course if he had spent three years following someone, watching their inner turmoil from a far, and protecting them, he suppose he would be the same way. She had a very kind soul it seemed.

The two caught up with the others as Goku started drooling at all of the food. "Man I haven't seen this many shops in ages!" Goku said excitedly. "Looks pretty peaceful." Gojyo remarked. "Yeah." Sanzo agreed.

"I guess this town hasn't been influenced too much by the demons." Hakkai remarked. "I heard that it's a rather quiet area when it comes to demons." Yuai told them. "That looks so good!" Goku said as he spotted a meat bun stand.

"Sanzo I wanna eat one!" Goku added looking at the priest over his shoulder. "Denied." Sanzo replied. "Why not!? You stingy old monk!" Goku whined. "I'm not listening." Sanzo replied.

Yuai covered a giggle as Goku started basically throwing a fit. "Why not? Its just a meat bun." Hakkai said looking at Sanzo, a smile on his face. "Kids these days get cocky if you pamper them." Sanzo replied. "You sound more like his father instead of his friend." Yuai mused making Sanzo shoot the girl a glare.

"Like wow, Mr. Monk, you make one heck of a tutor, dontcha?" Gojyo asked resting his elbow on the blonde's shoulder. Sanzo instantly stuck his gun in Gojyo's face. "You wanna try dying once?" Sanzo asked.

Hakkai smiled as Yuai giggled beside him. Apparently she wasn't bothered with the way the four acted. "Pardon me, you young ones there." All five turned to a blue haired man sitting behind a small table his eyes half closed as he grinned at them.

"Travelers aren't you? I, Chin Yisou, will forecast what lies ahead in your journey." he told them. "We ain't interested in stuff like that." Gojyo said ready to blow the old fortune teller off. "I already know what lies ahead of me." Yuai added making Hakkai look down at her.

"Hey Sanzo, just one okay? I'm really hungry." Goku said, still pestering Sanzo for a meat bun. "Shut up." Sanzo told the boy. Chuckling drew the five's attention back to the fortune teller. "It seems, that I see death in your future. How frightening." the old man said his eyes opening a fraction more to show the black eyes behind the lids.

"Bastard, who are you?" Sanzo asked, seemingly becoming angry with Chin Yisou. "You're living on the brink of death aren't you? Yes, yes I can tell." Chin Yisou said as if he hadn't heard Sanzo, only angering the blonde even more.

"I asked you who you are." Sanzo repeated in a low growl. "Especially…you two!" Chin Yisou continued pointing to first Hakkai and then Yuai. "Yes, you may hide it with that hypocrite's face….but you have the eyes of a sinner, yes you do. Sins too deep to atone for." the old man said as he pointed to Hakkai. "Yes and you bear a scar, there on your belly. Do you not?" Chin Yisou added.

Hakkai's eyes went wide as his hand came to a rest over his old wound. "And you." Chin Yisou said pointing to Yuai. "You bear the weight of so many sins, some of which are not even your's. Your hands are bathed in the blood of many, your heart holding a monster that even you fear. You bear the scars of many days spent in torture. You bear the mark of a great sin. A sin at birth!" Chin Yisou said.

Beside Hakkai, Yuai stiffened, her back going as straight as a board. From Hakkai's shoulder, Kokoro starting letting out a string of squeaks, pips, and mews at the old man, none of which sounded too nice in Hakkai's ears.

"Hey you! You pickin' a fight with us!?" Goku asked fist raised when he saw the effects the old man was having on the pair he had singled out. "I'm merely concerned with your well being. Of course I'm merely a fortune teller who's not right that often…Just look at these Mahjong tiles." Chin Yisou said gesturing to the tiles on the table.

"The Mahjong tiles?" Goku asked. "My tiles tell the future. Behold!" Chin Yious held up one tile. "Calamity be with you all!" the old man told them. "What are you talking about?" Goku asked. Suddenly the ground under them shook as shops farther down the road were suddenly crushed as if a great weight had slammed down on top of them.

Yuai grabbed Hakkai's arm to steady herself. "What is that?" she asked. All five looked up as a giant monster in the form of a crab appeared over the town, people running and screaming. "Something big popped out again. Goku, dinner time." Gojyo said basically unfazed by the appearance of the monsters.

"That thing looks super hard." Goku complained. "I get the feeling the four of you are use to this." Yuai remarked as Kokoro dived into the shawl around her shoulders again. Hakkai gave her a grim smile as if confirming the statement.

"Look, at its chest!" Sanzo said pointing up at the beast. There upon the chest of the beast was a sanskiglyph. "It's a Sanskitglyph right?" Yuai said. "Yeah. A shikigami, isn't it?" Hakkai replied posing the question to Sanzo.

"Yeah. It's a type of youjutsu where evil thoughts are put into an object, causing it to transform into a monster." Sanzo told them. "That being so, how can a shikigami get so big?" Gojyo asked.

"I'm guessing, a lot and more, of evil thoughts." Yuai replied peering out from above her sunglasses at the creature before them. "It still ain't normal." Gojyo replied in a grumble. Yuai glanced at Hakkai who was looking to the spot where the fortune teller had sat.

The old man was gone now leaving an empty booth behind him. Yuai didn't want to dwell on it and she wouldn't. The ground under their feet shook again as the monster moved completely taking her attention away from the booth and the, now, missing fortune teller.

Yuai clung to Hakkai's arm to stay up, both of her little hands wrapping around the expanse of his forearm. Dust rose up around them as the monster crushed more shops near them. "Putting on quite the show, ain't he?" Gojyo asked. Yuai released Hakkai's arm as the dust cleared. "Well what now?" Gojyo asked. "Its obvious! We trash it!" Goku exclaimed.

Gojyo chuckled. "I don't know who its working for, but it better not get cocky!" Gojyo said with a grin. Yuai looked up at the monster as it charged the five. "Yuai, please stay behind me." Hakkai told the girl, stepping in front of her.

Yuai looked up at him, surprise written in the line of her mouth. She blinked at him, unable to say anything back. She apparently wasn't use to people trying to protect _**her**_. "This looks like fun!" Goku cheered.

All four men were ready to go but before the crab monster could reach them a small girl, with orange-red hair stepped out in front of it with a grin on her face. Yuai peered around Hakkai as the young girl gave a mighty swing, punching the monster….and putting a hole in it's chest.

END

Kyandi: Sorry to cut it off like that but….I'm a bit of a fan of cliff hangers.

Yuai: She's the only one too.

Kyandi: Hey some people like them.

Yuai: No they don't. Their just too polite to tell you that.

Kyandi: Thanks. Love you too.

Yuai: Of course you do. Now lets move on.

Kyandi: Right! Please everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon!

Kyandi: Bye!


	4. Too Much Fun

Kyandi: Back with the next chapter and so happy I finally got a review!

Yuai: The reader wasn't too happy about the cliff hanger though.

Kyandi: When are they ever. BUT! It's a writer's greatest tool to hooking a reader.

Yuai: If you say so.

Kyandi: I do. So everyone enjoy and review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 4 Too Much Fun

Yuai stepped out from behind Hakkai to look at the mess around them. "Well that's one giant mess." she remarked looking up at the now demolished monster and the equally demolished buildings around it. Suddenly the little girl popped up in front of them.

"Sanzo Party! I found you!" she cheered happily. "I'm Lirin and I've come to get rid of ya!" she told them proudly, chest puffed out and one hand on her hip. "Come at me from wherever you want!" she added, cheerfully, her hands planted firmly on her hips and a grin on her face as she looked at them.

Yuai raised an eyebrow at the girl as the four males stared at Lirin. "From wherever? But, umm…" Gojyo cut off. "Well, lets see now…" Hakkai started but he too trailed off. "Hey Goku, don't you think she's a little like you?" Yuai asked suddenly with a bright smile as she looked at Goku.

"Sort of a female Goku look-alike." Hakkai agreed. "Goku you go fight her." Gojyo told the shorter male. "Huh?" Goku asked turning to look at Gojyo, wondering why he was stuck with the task. "Shit! Quit making fun of me like I'm a kid!" Lirin yelled at them as she charged them.

Before she could reach Gojyo who put his arms up to cover his face, Sanzo grabbed the girl by the back of her shirt, holding the girl off the ground. "Put me down!" Lirin yelled throwing a fit. "Droopy-eyes! Scarface! I'm getting pissed…" Lirin yelled but fell silent when Sanzo held up a meat bun. "Want a meat bun?" Sanzo asked. The little girl instantly latched onto the bun, cheerfully.

"Well that's one way to deal with it." Yuai remarked as she looked at the young girl. Just to shut up Goku, who started to complain, Sanzo gave him a meat bun as well. "I say, Sanzo, you're sure good with animals." Hakkai remarked.

Yuai hid a laugh behind her hand as Sanzo glared at Hakkai. "You four sure do see a lot of excitement." Yuai remarked watching a tick mark appear on Sanzo's forehead. "That's far enough!" came a yell. All six looked up at the looming form of Kougaji.

"We meet again." Kougaji said looking down on them. The man didn't look too happy. "I came to get my sister back!" he called as Lirin waved to her brother. "Please take her back!" Hakkai called cheerfully. "Hey bro!" Lirin called.

Kougaji slapped a hand to his face as if embarrassed or annoyed. "You idiot! Get back here at once!" he yelled at his sister. "Don't tell me you're just gonna take her and turn tail again!" Goku mocked. Kougaji huffed at the boys. "Hardly." he replied.

Yuai watched from beside Sanzo as Kougaji and Goku instantly jumped into a fight. Not far from her Hakkai was standing face to face with Yaone. The two politely engaged in a fight, bowing to each other before they started.

Gojyo quickly jumped in to his own fight, not wanting to be shown up by his friends, and ended up fighting his own brother. Sanzo crouched on the ground beside Yuai with Lirin still in his grasp, munching away on meat buns.

Yuai watched the three different fights. "I have the feeling I'm not needed here." she remarked scratching one cheek. "Not at all." Sanzo agreed. "I'll say it again…you four see a lot of excitement." Yuai remarked.

A chill suddenly crept up Yuai's spine, as if she was being watched. Usually when she got these kinds of feelings, she was right. When she looked up she could just barely make out the blue hair of the fortune teller Chin Yisou in the distance.

He was just standing there, watching the fight. Her attention was drawn from the old man when Kougaji crashed into the ground not far from her. Goku was really knocking the crap out of the other male and Kougaji seemed to be losing his temper slowly with each hit Goku landed on him.

Beside Yuai, Lirin had finished her meat bun and turned to Sanzo. "It that all?" she asked. "No there's more. Want some?" Sanzo asked holding out another meat bun for the girl. Yuai watched the girl latch on to this meat bun too.

Yuai gave a small laugh as she looked at the little girl. Suddenly the ground shook almost knocking Yuai off her feet. Yuai's hand shot out and she grabbed the side of a building to keep from falling. "Not this again." Yuai remarked as she steadied herself.

"Goku…behind you!" Sanzo suddenly yelled. Yuai looked up as another crab monster, this one bigger then the last, rose up from the destroyed buildings. "That one is even bigger!" Yuai exclaimed looking up at the thing.

The monster suddenly attacked, one giant claw striking towards Kougaji and Goku, knocking the two off their feet. "Goku!" Yuai called, concerned for the boy. The monster attacked the two again but this time Gojyo stepped in the way, barely managing to stop the creature.

Yuai turned as the other claw struck out. "Hakkai!" she called in warning jumping forward to knock the male aside as the monster aimed for him and Yaone. Hakkai set up, instantly grabbing Yuai by her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" he asked her concerned. "I'm fine." Yuai told him as she sat up as well. "But shouldn't I be asking you that?" she asked him. Hakkai let out a relieved sigh before turning to Yaone asking her the same question.

When she assured him she was fine, Hakkai helped Yuai to her feet. "A shikigami?" Yaone asked looking at Hakkai. "But why so big?" Yaone added. "So you weren't the ones that sent it after all." Hakkai remarked.

"I don't even know them and I figured as much." Yuai remarked Hakkai smiling in agreement. A pain filled grunt from Gojyo drew Hakkai and Yuai's attention to the red head. "Gojyo!" Hakkai called. Gojyo was sitting on the ground, next to his brother, rubbing his head. "That didn't even scratch it!" Gojyo complained.

"If we don't blow the whole damn thing away, it won't mean squat." Sanzo said, annoyed as he looked up at the demon. "Yuai, watch out!" Yuai looked up as Hakkai called her name. The monster had aimed one giant claw right for her.

Her shawl moved before Kokoro jumped out of it. Half way to the ground, the creature transformed into a large, more tiger like creature that stood taller then Gojyo, with ice gleaming in its fur. It knocked the claw aside with a deafening roar.

Yuai darted to the side out of harm's way. "Kokoro!" she called holding her arms out. The creature jumped at Yuai transforming back into the small creature as it landed in her arms. "Kokoro and I will distract it while you all come up with a plan!" Yuai called back to the others as she leapt up to a building top.

The crab followed the girl's movements as she dropped Kokoro who transformed once more. "Yuai!" Hakkai called in concern but the girl was already gone, white hair trailing after her.

Kokoro attacked the monster's face, blinding it while her mistress lead it away from the others. Kougaji watched her for a moment. She kept the creature's attention and that made her useful in that aspect if nothing else.

Kougaji turned to Goku then. "Goku, can you stop that shikigami movements?" Kougaji asked. "If you buy me a little time, I can call forth a beast from the Internal Land." Kougaji explained. Goku looked up at Yuai who stood on a building top above their heads while Kokoro dodged attacks from the crab monster.

"Yuai!" Goku called making the white hair girl look down at him. "Got it! I got its legs if you can stall it." she replied without looking back. Goku nodded. "Yuai's an ice demon. She'll freeze it in its tracks. We'll take care of it." Goku told Kougaji before joining Yuai.

Kougaji's eyes went to Yuai. An ice demon? There were many ways that could be useful. But if he remembered correctly the only ice demons around were the Choi clan. Could it be she was one of them. Kougaji eyed the girl. If she was then she could be extremely useful.

But he could think about this later. For now he had a job to do if they were going to get out of there in one piece. "Listen you two! Keep it from moving, even if only for an instant!" Kougaji told the two. Goku nodded.

"Leave it to us." Yuai told him before turning. Yuai let out a sheer whistle. "Kokoro!" she called. The ice Koken'nin landed next to Yuai allowing the girl to climb onto her back. With that Yuai and Kokoro were off.

"Ape…make sure you two get out of the way!" Kougaji called to Goku. "Right!" Goku replied. Ahead of Goku the monster started stumbling, ice forming on its legs and joints. Every now and then they could glimpse a flash of Kokoro's icy gray-blue fur.

Goku joined her beating the monster with his pole weapon. Soon the monster came to an almost dead stop, ice incasing its legs, making it impossible to move its legs. "Lets do it, Kougaji!" Goku called. "Dodge Goku!" Kougaji replied.

Goku nodded turning to Yuai. "Yuai, out of the way!" Goku called. Kokoro retreated, taking her mistress with her. Goku pierced the monster with his Nyoubio halting it's progress even more. Yuai watched as a beast of fire wiped out the monster in a blaze of fire. The fire blazed taking out most of the town with it. Yuai found herself being knocked off Kokoro and buried under rumble. The perfect way to end the day.

When the smoke cleared Hakkai coughed the smoke out of his lungs. Kougaji himself looked around checking on his sister and two companions. See they were fine he searched for the white haired girl. She was no where to be seen. He would have to approach her another time.

Hakkai looked up as Kougaji and his group bid them farewell, though he couldn't help feeling like he was missing something. Once Kougaji and his group were gone Hakkai noticed what he was missing. He looked around rapidly.

"Yuai!" he called when he didn't see the girl. Suddenly not, ten feet from them, Yuai pushed her way out of a pile of stones coughing as she waved dirt out of her face. "You four have to much fun. Way to much. That's enough fun to kill a person." she announced as Kokoro appeared on her shoulder back to mini size and running one paw over one large ear.

Yuai had a hand pressed over her eyes, rubbing dirt from her eyes, her sunglasses gripped tightly in the other hand. Hakkai ran to the girl dropping to his knees in front of her, concern written all over his features.

"Are you alright?" he asked her as she continued to rub at her eyes. He settled one hand on her shoulder as he looked at her face. "Just fine. I just have a lot of dirt in my eyes." she told him as she moved her hand to look up at him.

Hakkai froze when he was met with her gaze. "What is it?" she asked blinking at him in confusion when she saw the look on his face. Hakkai continued to stare at her in surprise. "Hey Sanzo, you better come here!" Hakkai called as he gently grabbed Yuai's face between his hands.

"What is it!?" Yuai asked now really concerned as he stared intently at her face. She couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong with her face. Was she missing her nose or something. Yuai wiggled her nose. Nope, still there.

"What is it?" Sanzo asked stopping at Hakkai's side. "Look." Hakkai said turning Yuai's face to Sanzo as Gojyo and Goku joined them. All four males stared at Yuai as she blinked. Okay now she was really worried.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on. You're worrying me with those looks." she said really starting to freak out. "Well looks like we found our little companion." Gojyo said with a grin. "Companion?" Yuai asked. She blinked in confusion as all of them, except Sanzo smiled at her.

Staring at the four, from a ring of long white lashes….was a pair of icy silver-white eyes, the color of gleaming ice.

END

Kyandi: Okay I so didn't plan a cliff hanger this time. It just turned out this way.

Yuai: Would you say other wise even if it was planned?

Kyandi: No.

Yuai: Then why explain it?

Kyandi: I…..I don't know.

Yuai: Hehe…Well then lets move on shall we.

Kyandi: Right, everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We will be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	5. Aunt Does Not Know Best

Kyandi: I'm back with the next chapter!

Yuai: Truth is she already has the first eleven or twelve chapters done.

Kyandi: Shush! Don't tell them that!

Yuai: Oppsie!

Kyanid: Yeah, oppsie. Anyway everyone enjoy and review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki or the song. Michelle Branch owns the song.

Chapter 5 Aunt Does Not Know Best

Hakkai stared into Yuai's eyes. They certainly were pretty and entrancing and now that he could see her whole face it was easy to say that the girl was beautiful and looked a lot older then she was. "You're half god." Hakkai said, rather more bluntly then he had meant to.

Yuai's eyes went wide and before he could stop her she pulled away from him and was scrambling back. "H-h-half god!? T-t-that's nonsense!" she stuttered as she fumbled with her sunglasses before putting them back on.

"There's no such thing!" she added sheepishly though it was easy to tell that Hakkai had gotten to her. Hakkai got to his feet as she tugged on a piece of her hair. "I-I-I mean that's completely forbidden! A god with a human or demon? Nonsense!" she added though her fingers tugging on the piece of white hair gave her away. Hakkai couldn't help but smile. It was kind of cute to watch her.

"Your back…let us see it." Sanzo said bluntly as he watched the girl. Yuai turned to him, peering at him from over the sunglasses. "My back? Whatever for?" she asked. "There's scars on your back, isn't there?" Hakkai asked.

Yuai stared at him, her hand going up to pull her glasses off. She stared at the four intently no longer trying to hide her eyes from them. Hakkai had to admit it really did feel like she was looking right through him.

Even Sanzo felt like she was looking right through him. Her gaze swept over them before she looked down at Kokoro who sat on her shoulder. The Koken'nin gave her a mew before jumping off her shoulder. A few short leaps and Kokoro jumped up on Hakkai's shoulder turning to watch her mistress.

Yuai turned, putting her back to the males as she slid the shawl down her arms. As she did her back, left bare by the halter top she wore, was revealed….showing the scars that covered her entire back. Hakkai found his stomach turning over at the sight.

Someone had taken the time to carve swirling, detailed patterns into her skin, from the top of her shoulders to where they vanished under clothing towards the small of her back, leaving behind horrible scars that marred her lightly tanned skin.

Just looking at them made the four feeling like cringing. To leave such dark scars the original wounds had to be deep. That or whoever had done it, had gone over the same wounds countless times. Either way would have been painful and a never ending torture for the girl.

Yuai half turned back to them as she moved the shawl back up, one of her eyebrow raising as she looked at them. "How did you know about the scars?" she asked eyeing them closely. The four males looked at each other trying to think about the best way to answer that question without possibly angering the girl.

"It's a long story." Hakkai told her rubbing his neck. "Believe me….I have time." Yuai told him. "When someone knows as much about me as you do, I make time." she added her arms crossing over her chest. The look on her face said it all…she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

-0-0-0-0-

Yuai blinked as she looked at the four. For a moment she just set there thinking through what she had just heard. As she thought the four males looked at each other wondering how she was going to take the whole thing.

"The Merciful Goddess sent you a message saying that I would become you're new companion? She was the one that told you about my lineage, my eyes, and my scars?" she asked finally summarizing everything they had just told her.

The five were sitting around a table in one of the rooms they had gotten at an inn, the four males facing Yuai over the table. "We couldn't make this up if we tried." Hakkai assured her. Yuai leaned back in her seat as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"You're right…you couldn't. Not to mention you wouldn't have been able to guess about the scars either." Yuai remarked. Hakkai watched as she dropped her chin into her palm as she thought, her other hand idly scratching Kokoro's head.

Sanzo looked at the girl. "This wasn't exactly our idea." he told her. Yuai nodded. "I know." she replied. "You're taking it all rather calmly, though." Hakkai said kind of impressed with the girl's calmness.

"Its not so much that I'm being calm as that I'm somewhat already acquainted with my aunt's meddlesome ways. Leave it to my aunt to complicate people's lives." Yuai remarked.

Gojyo choked on his drink, all four looking at her with strange looks. "What?" Yuai asked looking at them. "Your aunt!?" Gojyo and Goku asked at the same time. Yuai blinked before she heaved a laugh at the two.

"As she told you, I am half god. My mother was my clan's goddess, Korinochino Megami. She was the Merciful Goddess's younger sister. But when it was found out that my mother had been seeing my father, she was striped of her goddess powers and set to live on earth as a mortal." Yuai told them, staring off into space as she spoke.

"She was already pregnant with me by then. My father was my clan's leader and he had already been married once and had a son. Usually my people have one life long mate. Falling in love twice is unheard of among my people. Hence the life oaths that most of the women of my clan take instead of being a warrior. But my father was different." Yuai added idly.

Yuai tugged on a piece of her hair. "So naturally my aunt and I have already spoken before, even if it was only once. She seems to enjoy meddling into the day-to-day lives of those of us down here. So I'm not really surprised at all to hear something like this." Yuai told them as she scratched one cheek.

"She's overly meddlesome when it comes to me. She claims its because I'm her favorite niece." Yuai told them. "Well isn't that a good thing? To have the favor of a god?" Hakkai asked her. Yuai's expression deadpanned.

"It is never a good thing to court favor or interest from the likes of my aunt." she said perfectly serious. Hakkai couldn't help the small laugh. "But then again I guess I can't expect anything different. I am an unusual child." Yuai added distantly.

She was silent after that as if she was lost in her own little world. Then suddenly her eyes snapped to them. "Go ahead and say it. I'm a sin in birth. I've been told it more then once before." she said in a low voice her near pupilless eyes narrowing.

Hakkai felt his gut wretch as Chin Yisou's words rang in his head. "_You bear the mark of a great sin. A sin at birth!"_ He couldn't imagine how that had made her feel. Her eyes darted away from them. "That's nonsense." Sanzo told the girl as he snuffed out a cigarette.

Yuai raised her head to look at him in surprise. "In case you haven't notice, we aren't exactly the greatest men alive." Hakkai told her with a smile. "You'd fit with us that's for sure." Gojyo added with a shrug, Goku nodding in agreement.

Yuai looked at the four before sighing. "You four are very strange indeed." she remarked but a smile curved her lips. "So did she happen to tell you four anything else about me that I should know about?" Yuai asked tilting her head to the side as Kokoro climbed out of her lap and headed for Hakkaryuu.

"Not really." Hakkai told her. Yuai slowly nodded to herself as she turned to watch Kokoro play with the small dragon. "Hey Yuai." Goku started looking at the girl. Yuai turned her gaze to him. "Yes?" she asked, one eyebrow lifting in curiosity.

"Those scars….did they hurt?" Goku asked, his child like curiosity getting the better of him. "Of course they did you idiot monkey!" Gojyo snapped hitting Goku in the head. "Don't ask her such stupid questions! You're going to upset her!" Gojyo added.

Silence fell on the five as Yuai stared off into space. Goku was sorry he had asked her the question and stared at the table top. Sanzo stared off into space as Gojyo stared at the table top as well.

A small laugh from the girl made the four look at Yuai. Yuai was smiling at them with a soft, kind look. "What's with the such long looks?" she asked, shocking the men. "I'm sorry I asked." Goku told her. "Don't be. They hurt yes, but that's a past event, Goku. Nothing that can hurt me now." Yuai told him with a small laugh.

"Its all in the past, Goku, my friend. If I dwelled in the past and never moved forward then I would never have a future." Yuai told him with a bright smile. "So quit frowning. It doesn't suit you." she added. Hakkai smiled as Goku instantly cheered up. Hakkai liked the girl.

She had a unique way of looking at things. She had a bright smile that made others want to smile and she almost always seemed to smile. But despite that, even only knowing the girl for a day, Hakkai couldn't help but feel that her smile was just to cover what she truly felt and thought.

Hakkai was pulled out of his thoughts as Yuai got to her feet. "Beside….the scars remind me that my past was real and to forget one's past is to lose all sense of one's self. After all your past is part of what makes you who you are." she told them with a smile as she turned to the door.

"Come on, Kokoro. Lets go to bed." she called to the small creature. Kokoro untangled herself form Hakkaryuu, giving the dragon a trilling chirp before following after her mistress. Hakkai chuckled as he watched Hakkaryuu basically mope at the lose of his playmate.

"You can play with Kokoro more tomorrow, Hakkaryuu." Hakkai told the dragon who perked up and gave Hakkai a chirp in reply. When the door closed behind Yuai Gojyo heaved a sigh. "She's certainly different. Cute, but different." Gojyo said. Hakkai chuckled. "Don't let her hear you. She might take that as an insult." Hakkai told him.

Hakkai and Gojyo smiled while Goku grinned. Even Sanzo managed a small smile. "She might not be that bad to have around. Right, monk?" Gojyo asked elbowing Sanzo. "I will kill you." Sanzo replied shooting him a glare.

Gojyo held his hands up in front of him in surrender. Hakkai chuckled as he watched his friends. Yuai was certainly interesting and her view on things was refreshing to say the least. Despite her young age she was wiser then most even Hakkai's age. Though sadly that had come from awful experiences. It was certainly going to be interesting to see how she handled herself as they went on in their journey.

-0-0-0-0-

"Stupid water sprite!" Needless to say nothing changed with the addition of Yuai to their traveling group. Gojyo and Goku still fought, going off on the littlest things and yelling at each other. Yuai was sitting right behind Sanzo and Hakkai so that her back was against the backs of their seats.

She was watching the two fighting, with a smile on her face. "So they do this everyday?" Yuai asked leaning back so that she could see the two in the front seat. "Everyday." Sanzo agreed. "My, that must get annoying." Yuai remarked.

"It does and if they don't shut up, I'm going to kill them!" Sanzo said raising his voice at the second half. Both Gojyo and Goku stopped fighting and instantly fell silent. Yuai hid a laugh behind a hand at the whole thing. Kokoro chattered from where she said on Hakkai's shoulder, her new favorite perch.

"Hey Yuai, since you travel a lot, how do you pay for supplies?" Goku asked Yuai switching attention to her. Yuai smiled. "Want me to show you when we get to the next village?" she asked with a big cat like grin. Hakkai peered back at her.

"Its not stealing is it?" Sanzo asked bluntly. "Not at all." Yuai assured him not the least bit offended that Sanzo had even suggested such a thing. "Then what is it?" Goku asked excitedly. "I'll show you when we get there." Yuai assured him.

She wasn't going to tell them a second before. Goku pouted at her but Yuai just smiled back. "Well we're almost to the next village." Hakkai told them all over his shoulder as the town came into view. "And it's a nice big town too." Yuai remarked as she looked at the incoming town over her shoulder.

The five easily found an inn in the busy town, leaving their things in the three rooms they had acquired. Needing more supplies Hakkai and Yuai lead the group out into the busy streets of the town, past several shops and booths to the center of the town where a large fountain set, some children playing around it.

"Alright show us already!" Goku told Yuai. Yuai smiled at the four before turning her attention to Kokoro. "Alright Kokoro. Ready?" she asked the small creature. Kokoro let out a little mew and jumped off her mistress's shoulder to head towards the fountain.

Yuai followed pulling two things out of the satchel hanging by her right hip before handing the bag to Hakkai. "Just wait right here." she told the four before heading after Kokoro who was waiting in a clear space in front of the fountain.

Yuai sat down one of the objects in her hand which was a large bowl. She sat it on the ground in front of her before taking the second object into hand. It was a small hand tambourine with silver and white ribbons and small blue tinted bells hanging from it.

Yuai shook the thing letting it play its jingling, light sound loudly. Everyone walking past stopped to look at the pretty white haired girl as she and her strange furry companion started lightly dancing as Yuai started playing a jingling tune with the tambourine.

The two started a small twirling dance, both moving as if they had done this several times before. And then….Yuai started to sing. Hakkai had to admit the girl had a beautiful singing voice, that made more and more people stop to watch her.

_I wanted to be like you_

_I wanted everything_

_So I tried to be like you_

_And I got swept away_

_I didn't know that _

_It was so cold and_

_You needed someone to show you the way_

_So I took your hand and we figured out that_

_When the tide comes I'll take you away_

At this point the beat of the tune picked up and Yuai and Kokoro twirled and hopped from one place to the other. The children around her giggled and clapped, some even dancing where they stood as they watched her. Hakkai couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched her. People walking by dropped money into the bowl for the girl and her dancing partner.

_If you want to_

_I can save you_

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside, so busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

At this point Yuai held a hand out to one of the little girls watching. With a smile from Yuai, the little girl took her hand and joined her in the little dance. Yuai gestured for the other children to join and was soon surrounded by the small children, taking their hands and twirling with them as they giggled and danced around her.

_I'm sinking slowly_

_So hurry hold me_

_Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on_

_Please can you tell me_

_So I can finally see_

_Where you go when your gone_

_If you want to_

_I can save you_

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside, so busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

Yuai pulled more people into her dance, taking the hands of several grown men and women and pulling them in to dance among the children as Yuai lead them in a circle around the fountain, Kokoro following on the rim of the fountain. When they returned to their starting point, Yuai jumped up on the rim of the fountain with Kokoro.

_All you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you need me you know I'll be there_

_whoo-ooo-yeah!  
_

_If you want to_

_I can save you_

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside, so busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you want to_

_I can save you_

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside, so busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

The crowd of dancers started thinning until it was only the children, who were now singing along with the song's chorus, left dancing with Yuai. "She looks like she's having fun." Gojyo remarked with a grin as they watched Yuai drop down off the rim to dance among the children again.

More and more people dropped money into the bowl for Yuai. Hakkai, though, was listening to the words of the song. Oddly, they fit a person like Yuai. She seemed like the type to completely devote herself to her friends.

She seemed like the type of person who would push aside her own well being to save someone else. A sacrificial savoir of sorts. Someone who would open her arms for another person in pain, even if she herself was hurting.

_Please can you tell me_

_So I can finally see_

_Where you go when your gone_

With that the song ended, with Yuai and Kokoro bowing to their audience. Clapping and cheers rose up from the crowd as Yuai turned to bow to everyone. Hakkai clapped along with everyone else. When everyone cleared the four friends found themselves standing behind Yuai as she knelled among the children, giving each of them a coin.

"Here. For being such lovely dance partners. Go buy yourselves a treat." she told the children with a smile. The children thanked her, a few girls giving her hugs, before they ran off, turning to wave bye to her as they went.

Yuai stood up, waving back to them as Kokoro jumped up onto her shoulder. "Quite a haul you got there." Gojyo remarked looking over her shoulder at the full bowl in her arms.

Yuai smiled as she turned to look at the four. "I told you, I managed." she told them. Hakkai smiled as her as she slapped Gojyo's hand away from the money. "I earned it so you can't have it." she told the red head with a grin.

Hakkai handed her, her satchel. "Thank you." Yuai told him as she pulled a small bag out of her satchel and put the money in it before slipping the rest of her things into the bag. "You're very good with children, Yuai." Hakkai told her.

Yuai looked up at him and smiled. "Of course I am. In the clan, all females learn from a young age, how to care for children. I basically raised my little cousin." Yuai told him as she fell into step with him.

"And you honestly don't want any of your own?" Gojyo asked leaning around Hakkai. "Its not that I don't want any children of my own." Yuai told him as she scratched Kokoro's chin.

"Its just I'm not ready to be a mother. I'm only eighteen. I have my whole life ahead of me. Plenty of time to think about something like that. Like I said, my clan, my people…we only fall in love once." Yuai told him as Kokoro jumped from Yuai's shoulder to Hakkai's.

"I'll take my time to find someone that special to me." Yuai added. Hakkai smiled at the young girl. It was a sensible choice. "Besides!" Yuai said suddenly looking out of the sides of her eyes at Gojyo. "I'm not the one that jumps into bed with every cute looking member of the opposite sex that will allow it." she retorted.

Gojyo frowned while Hakkai and Goku laughed. Even Sanzo had a smile on his face. The young girl had just pegged Gojyo to a T with that statement. Hakkai turned to cheer the red head up. He was so busy talking to the red head that he didn't notice the man running.

"Hakkai, look out!" Yuai called. Hakkai turned just in time to get knocked off his feet. He fell backwards into a booth, his hand going through a wooden crate. "Hakkai, are you alright!?" Hakkai looked up to find Yuai knelling in front of him.

"I'm fine." Hakkai assured her as he sat up, freeing his hand from the crate. "We're so sorry, ma'am. It was accident." Yuai told the owner of the booth as Hakkai looked over the bloody damage done to his hand.

"Look at your hand!" came Yuai's voice. The next thing Hakkai knew, Yuai had his hand caught between hers as she looked over the bloody limb. "Come on, lets get you back to the inn. I'll bandage it for you." she told him helping him to his feet.

Gojyo and Goku stood a few feet away from them yelling at the man that had knocked Hakkai over, while Sanzo stood beside Yuai. "It's fine, Yuai." Hakkai told her as she continued to look the hand over. "I'd still feel better if you'd let me bandage it." she retorted.

Hakkai smiled at her. "Alright, but first we should get those two don't you think?" Hakkai asked pointing to where Gojyo and Goku were about to beat up the man. "I think its kind of sweet." Yuai told him. Of course, only Yuai, would find the situation sweet

END

Kyandi: I love that song.

Yuai: Is that why you used it.

Kyandi: No. I just thought it fit you.

Yuai: If you say so.

Kyandi: Anyway, everyone enjoy and review!

Yuai: We will be back soon!

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	6. Facing Fears

Kyandi: Hey everyone.

Yuai: We're back with a few new chapters.

Kyandi: Yep!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama is a little tired right now so she's not really chatty.

Kyandi: Nope!

Yuai: So we'll be moving on.

Kyandi: Yep!

Yuai: So enjoy and review.

Kyandi: Uh-huh.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Kyandi: Nope!

Chapter 6 Facing Fears

"Really Hakkai you should pay more attention to your surroundings." Hakkai could only smile at the motherly tone in Yuai's voice as she cleaned the many cuts on Hakkai's hand. The two sat in Yuai's room at the table as Yuai worked.

"You think?" Hakkai asked her. "Yes I do." Yuai replied. She was staring down at his hand as she cleaned the blood away. She looked as if she was lost in her own little world somewhere as she stared at the hand she held in her much smaller hands.

"Is something on your mind, Yuai?" Hakkai asked her. "Nothing really. I was just thinking…" Yuai cut off. "Never mind." she added. Hakkai tilted his head to see her face. "No, go ahead and tell me." he told her. Yuai glance up at him before looking back down at his hand.

"I was just thinking…you have beautiful hands. Beautiful fingers." she told him. The sentence rang a bell so close to his heart that Hakkai almost flinched. "But its strange to refer to a man as beautiful. So forget I said it." Yuai told him as she started bandaging the cuts.

When he didn't speak she looked up at him. Hakkai was staring her, his eyes slightly wide. "What is it?" she asked blinking in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked worried. Hakkai shook his head. "No its just…what you said reminded me of someone." he told her.

Yuai eyed him. He had a sad sort of look on his face, whether he noticed it or not and it pulled at her heart. "Let me guess…a lover?" she asked. Hakkai, surprised at her accuracy, looked up at her.

"Yes. How did you-" Yuai cut him off, her eyes going back to his hand. "You have the same look on your face that my father did whenever he spoke of his first wife." she told him quietly. "I see." Hakkai said. Yuai fell quiet, her hair hiding her face.

Hakkai, trying to make her feel better, opened up a little. "Her name was Kanan. There was a couple of times she told me that she loved my hands because they were beautiful." Hakkai told her. "I thought so. Then I won't say it again." Yuai told him.

Hakkai, surprised looked at Yuai's face. "No that's alright!" he told her. "No its not." Yuai replied. Hakkai fell silent. "That's a dear memory of her. Of a person you loved. Its better you remember **her** saying it. Not me." Yuai told him as she finished wrapping his hand. "There you go." she told him giving him a smile as she finally looked up.

Hakkai watched her as she got to her feet. She was smiling, but the look in her eyes was…sad. Hakkai looked down at the hand she had bandaged as she put things away. Her hands were quick and sure in their movements as she bandaged the injuries.

He had noticed that compared to his, her hands were small, the fingers thin. The nails were even longer, the skin smoother. It was times like that that he remembered that she was still only a teenager. Hakkai looked up at Yuai's back.

"Yuai." he called. "Yes?" Yuai asked as she put the bandages away. "You didn't ask how she died." Hakkai said. He didn't really know why it mattered. Maybe because he was so use to people being nosy and asking how Kanan had died.

That's what people usually did. They asked him all sorts of questions with no consideration to how it made him feel. Yuai on the other hand hadn't. She had simply dropped the subject right then and there.

Hakkai watched as Yuai turned to look at him a soft look on her face. "Its not my place to ask such things. Its obvious it hurts you and I don't want to hurt you in any way, Hakkai." she told him giving him a bright smile before turning back to her task.

"I figure, if you really want to talk about it, any of it, then you will. And I'll be there to listen, if you decide to. No judgment, just listening." she told him as she packed things back away in her bag.

"But that's your choice. If you don't want to talk about it then that means you rather keep it to yourself, which means its none of my business." she added. "Its just as simple as that." she told him as she sat her bag on the floor by the bed. Hakkai smiled as he watched her. Maybe one day he would tell her. Maybe.

"Well then allow me to extend the same courtesy to you." he told her. Yuai looked up at him and shook her head. "A warrior suffers in silence." Yuai told him with a smile. "Besides…you have enough worries without having to worry about me as well." she told him.

Hakkai was about to argue but Yuai just shook her head. "Don't worry about it Hakkai. I put my issues with my past behind me." she told him as she scooted her chair back in. "Come on, lets go get the others. I'm hungry and I'm sure, Goku is bugging Sanzo for food too." Yuai told him with a smile.

Hakkai nodded as he got to his feet. Yuai was wise beyond her years. More grown up then she should be at her age. She had been forced to grow up quickly and what it left behind was an old woman in a young girl's body. It was easy for him to tell that she was holding back. Yet at the same time, she was extending her arms for others, taking on their pain, while still bearing her own.

Yuai was a forgiving soul, that much was clear. A kind, sweet soul, that had shattered only to pick up the pieces. But she hadn't picked up those pieces for her sake. She had picked them up and placed them back together for the sake of others.

So she could give the comfort to others, that she had been unable to find for herself. That she denied herself.

She was holding back something. Something big and though she had been kind enough not to nose in on his past, Hakkai couldn't help but be curious as to what in her past was so bad that she thought she deserved to suffer it all alone. What had scarred her so bad that she honestly thought she deserved no kindness?

-0-0-0-0-

"You know, its amazing how she can fall asleep almost anywhere." Gojyo remarked. Hakkai glanced over his shoulder into the back of the Jeep. Gojyo and Goku were on opposite sides, with Yuai sprawled between them.

The girl was leaning against Goku's shoulder, her legs draped over Gojyo's knees. She was currently asleep, Kokoro curled up in her lap. "She's traveled alone for a while. She's probably use to it." Hakkai replied as he turned back around.

He couldn't take his eyes off the road for long, since it was a narrow road that cross over a waterfall, with a sheer drop down the falls to their right. "She told me once that she's use to sleeping in trees." Goku said.

"How the hell do you sleep in a tree without falling out?" Gojyo asked. "By tying yourself to a limb." came Yuai's voice. All four males jolted in surprise. "Hey have you been awake this whole time?" Gojyo asked leaning forward to poke her cheek. "No. Just long enough to hear you ask that." Yuai replied swatting at his hand, though she didn't open her eyes.

"Jeez, give a little more warning then that next time." Gojyo told her as he leaned back. "What, would you prefer I kick you?" she asked. "No!" Gojyo retorted getting a laugh from both Goku and Yuai. "Well lets see about that." Yuai said sitting up to look at Sanzo.

"Sanzo can I kick him?" she asked. "Knock yourself out." Sanzo replied. "Hey! Don't give her permission to kick me, you damn monk!" Gojyo snapped. Hakkai, Goku, and Yuai broke into laughs at Gojyo. "I won't kick you for no reason." Yuai told him.

"But if you give me a reason then I will." she added. Gojyo scoffed at her as she leaned back against Goku's shoulder intending to go back to sleep. Suddenly Kokoro's ears perked up. She sat up looking around before letting out a string of noises like a mix between a cat's meow and a dog's howl.

Hakkai stepped on the brakes to look back at the small Koken'nin. Yuai opened on eye. "We got visitors." she remarked. Everyone was alert then, but none of them expected the attack to come from under the jeep, sending the riders flying out.

Yuai grabbed for the nearest person, who happened to be Goku, as Kokoro transformed, grabbing Yuai by the back of her belt to keep both the girl and Goku from falling all the way down the falls. The others weren't so lucky.

The jeep tipped over the falls sending Hakkai, Sanzo, and Gojyo falling over. "Sanzo! Gojyo! Hakkai!" Goku called in panic. There was no answer from below. "This isn't good." Yuai remarked tightening her grip on Goku's arm.

Yuai looked over her shoulder at Kokoro. "Pull us up." she told the Koken'nin. With a soft growl of agreement she pulled the two back up on solid ground.

"We have to go find them!" Goku said turning to Yuai. "You're right about that. But it'll take to long to climb down and there's no other way down." Yuai remarked looking over the edge of the road. "Come on." Yuai said as she slipped off the side of the road and onto a rock ledge that hung over the falls.

"What are you doing?" Goku asked her as he joined her. "I can't use much of my ice powers without removing my power limiter but I can freeze the water enough for us to use it like a giant slide." Yuai told him as she reached out to touch the rushing water with the tips of her fingers.

Goku leaned over her shoulder, watching as the water slowly turned to ice, spreading down the narrow falls to turn the surface of the water to ice.

"With the water current it won't last long, so we should go down it together." Yuai said getting to her feet. "We can use this!" Yuai turned to Goku who was holding up a large piece of bark he had just peeled off a tree.

It was big enough to hold the two and act like a sled. Yuai smiled. "Smart thinking, Goku!" she praised him, putting a big grin on Goku's face. The two moved quickly setting the bark atop the falls and carefully climbing on with Goku in front and Yuai sitting right behind him.

"Come on Kokoro!" Yuai called. The Koken'nin shrank before vanishing into Yuai's shawl. "Ready?" Goku asked Yuai as he gripped the thick vine that Yuai had tied to the jagged edge of the bark to give Goku something to hold on to. Yuai nodded wrapping her arms around his chest. "Go." she told him. Goku gave them a shove, shoving them over the edge.

The world tipped as the front end of the bark tipped over sending them speeding down the sheer drop. The wind rushed up in there face, sending Yuai's hair flying back over her shoulder. Both let out a scream as they slide down.

The drop was so steep that when they reached the bottom and hit a bump in the ice they caught enough air to send them skidding across the ice in circles. Goku managed to right them in time to noticed that up ahead the ice thinned before vanishing into water again. "Oh shit!" Goku exclaimed putting his feet out to try to stop them before they crashed into the water. Two feet from the thinning ice, they came to a stop.

Both sagged with a sigh of relief. "That was close." Goku remarked with a weak laugh. "You're telling me." Yuai agreed. A loud crack made the two freeze. "I think we spoke too soon." Yuai remarked. Sure enough the ice under them cracked and broke, sending the two plunging into the cold water.

Yuai swore the ice hated her and that that was the reason it had broke. Either way she and Goku both made it to the rive bank a couple of yards farther down stream. Goku dropped to lay on the ground, his arms and legs thrown out. Yuai was on her hands and knees beside him, trying to catch her breath. "Well that was…fun." Yuai remarked.

Kokoro piped in with a string of annoyed mews and chirps as she shook the water from her fur. Yuai smiled. "Sorry, Kokoro." she told the creature. Yuai turned to Goku. "Are you alright, Goku?" she asked. "I'm hungry." was Goku's reply.

Yuai shook her head. "I'll take that as a yes." she said getting to her feet to wring as much of the water out of her clothes as possible. "Come on. We have to find the others." she told Goku, offering him her hand.

Goku let the girl help him up. "But where do we start?" he asked looking at the trees that stretched before them. "We just go. Kokoro should be able to pick up their scent." Yuai told him. Yuai turned to Kokoro. "Kokoro." she said giving the Koken'nin a silent order. Kokoro transformed allowing Yuai to climb onto her back. "Want a ride?" Yuai asked Goku holding a hand out.

Goku grinned, climbing up behind her. "Lets go Kokoro. Keep your nose peeled for the others." she told Kokoro who made a noise in agreement before setting out with her two riders. "Any idea on what attacked us back there?" Goku asked Yuai.

"None. I haven't seen anything since the attack and Kokoro hasn't sensed anything." Yuai told him over her shoulder. "But they could be watching us from a distance." she added. "Just keep an eye out. I don't feel like getting attacked from behind." Yuai told him, Goku nodding in agreement before glancing over his shoulder behind them.

"I feel like we're being watched." he remarked. "Yeah I know. I do too." Yuai told him as she searched the trees around them. And she really did feel like that. It was a creepy crawling feeling that sent chills down her spine.

"Its probably our nerves. We're nervous about the others and the attack so we feel like we're being watched." Yuai told him. Goku still didn't like the feeling. "Its just our bodies on alert out of fear of an attack." Yuai added as she scanned the trees.

"I'm not scared." Goku told her. Yuai smiled. "I didn't say you were. But you know, Goku, its alright to be scared sometimes. Everyone has their fears." Yuai told him over her shoulder. "I'm sure you're scared of something right?" she asked.

"I use to be." Goku admitted as he watched their backs. "Use to be?" Yuai repeated. "I use to be afraid of the snow." Goku told her softly after a moment's pause. Yuai looked back at him. "The snow? Why?" she asked. Goku was staring down at the fur beneath his fingers. He didn't like thinking back to before he met Sanzo but he felt like he could tell Yuai and she wouldn't make fun of him.

"Before I met Sanzo, for as long as I could remember, I had been locked in this cell on top of a mountain. It almost always was snowing there. I remember the chill of it, even though I couldn't really reach out to touch it. I was alone there before Sanzo came and got me." Goku told her.

"Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo helped me get out it though." he added looking up at Yuai's back. "You know, Goku, I use to be afraid of the snow too." Yuai told him. "Really!?" Goku asked in surprise. "Yes. You see being apart of a clan of ice demons, my clan's city is naturally in a colder climate then what is here in Shangri-La." Yuai told him.

"So it snowed a lot. All of the children in the clan spent most of the day out playing in it when it snowed. When I was four, my brother took me out for the first time to play with the others. I was so excited. It was my first time outside of our own little yard and without my mother too." Yuai told him as Kokoro carried them through the trees.

"I didn't want to play with the other children though. You see they didn't like me." Yuai added. "Really? Why not?" Goku asked her.

"Well their parents didn't like me because of the fact that I was born from my father's _**second**_ wife. Like I said, in my clan we only have one love. That's custom. My father had two. So naturally any child from the second marriage was considered cursed in my clan. So since their parents didn't like me, they didn't." Yuai explained.

"Most of the time I was content to play with my brother and my little cousin." Yuai went on. "But my brother insisted I go play with the others. He said if they played with me, got to know me, then they would grow to like me." she explained. Goku nodded as he listened to her.

"So he took me out to the other children and, since my brother was going to be the next head of our clan, they agreed to let me play. For a while it was great. We played hide-and-go-seek in the snow forts and tunnels they had built. Then it was my brother's turn to count while we all hid." Yuai told him.

"I had decided to hid in a little niche in one of the tunnels that I had found. The other children took the chance to pick on me though. The started jumping on top of the snow of the tunnel…and collapsed it on top of my head." Yuai said softly.

"I remember the numb feeling of having snow all around me, the feeling of drowning as the snow clogged my nose and mouth. I thought I was going to die and tried to scream for my brother." Yuai added.

"What happened?" Goku asked. A small smile curved Yuai's lips. "I remember seeing nothing but white and then I saw Momiyo, my brother's Koken'nin and Kokoro's father. He had brought my brother to me and my brother saved me. He dug me out and took me home. After that I was too scared of the snow to even go out in our own yard to play." Yuai told him.

"But you want to know what my brother told me?" Yuai asked looking over her shoulder at Goku. Goku nodded like an eager child.

"He told that snow was, like ice, a symbol of the power our goddess, my mother, had given to us, and that to be afraid of it was like being afraid of my mother." Yuai told him with a small laugh as if the thought was funny.

"He told me that if nothing else, should anything else ever happen, that he would be there to come for me. That he would search forever to bring me home because he was my big brother and that I was his precious little sister and that was what siblings did." Yuai told him.

"So I wasn't afraid anymore. I knew my brother would keep his promise and would come if I needed him." she added. "You had a great big brother, Yuai." Goku told her. Yuai smiled brightly. "I did. But you know, in a sense you have a person like that too, Goku." Yuai told him as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Though he wouldn't admit it and he is a bit over strict, Sanzo cares about you. That was why he came for you. Because even though you didn't know each other yet, it was like you were calling for him. Someone who truly cares, won't be able to ignore it when you call for them." Yuai told Goku brightly with a smile.

Goku stared at her. Sanzo, when they had met, had said something about him calling for him. Finally Goku grinned back at her. "You're right!" he said happily. Yuai smiled at him. "So now, lets go find our friends." she said cheerfully, Goku nodding in agreement.

END

Kyandi: There you go!

Yuai: We'll have the next chapter up soon.

Kyandi: Yep.

Yuai: If she doesn't fall asleep.

Kyandi: Yep.

Yuai: And she started to fall.

Kyandi: Yep…

Yuai: And she fell out of her chair.

Kyandi: Zzzzzzzzz….

Yuai: She out of it. Oh well. Everyone enjoy and review! We'll be back soon, so bye!

Kyandi: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….Squishy-chan…..


	7. Past Horrors

Yuai: Hello everyone. Kyandi-sama is currently asleep with Squishy-chan. So her roommate, who we'll call Roomy-chan, will be helping me.

Roomy: I'm just being a nice friend. For those of you who don't know, Squishy-chan is the new name she gave her special pillow.

Yuai: She loves that pillow, doesn't she Roomy-chan?

Roomy: Yeah. But I have no idea who gave her the idea to paint Squishy-chan on the pillow case.

Yuai: Well at least she's sleep and not laughing at her computer screen.

Roomy: Yeah….thank heavens for that. So should we move on?

Yuai: Yes! Please enjoy and review.

Roomy: Kyandi doesn't own Saiyuki. That's how it goes right?

Yuai: Yes.

Chapter 7 Past Horrors

"That was a really long fall." Gojyo remarked as he picked some stray twigs out of his hair. "Now we got to find someway to get back up there and back to Goku and Yuai." Hakkai remarked looking around them.

"You think they're still up there?" Gojyo asked. Hakkai looked back the way they came. "They might have moved. Whoever attacked us did it and hid." Sanzo remarked. Hakkai couldn't deny that he was worried for both Yuai and Goku.

Several 'what if' questions went through his head. What if they got lost trying to find them? What if they got hurt? What if whoever had attacked them, attacked the two. Hakkai had no doubt that Goku could take care of himself.

But Hakkai had never really seen Yuai fight before. Of course she had Kokoro to keep an eye on her, but that didn't make Hakkai worry any less then he already was.

"Chill man." Hakkai looked up at Gojyo as he crushed a cigarette bud under his boot. "They'll be fine. Goku can take care of himself and if Yuai's a real warrior of her clan, then she'll be just fine. I've seen them fight before. None of them are slouches. They don't necessarily play nice." Gojyo told Hakkai clapping him on the shoulder.

"And besides, they have Kokoro. She can sniff us out for the two, if the Monkey can't." Gojyo added. Hakkai nodded. Sometimes he couldn't help but forget that Yuai was a warrior from a clan of well trained warriors. A person wouldn't think it, looking at the sweet girl. She _**looked**_ perfectly harmless. But that was the thing. Not everything was as it looked.

"Lets get moving." Sanzo told the two friends. Both nodded turning to follow the blond monk as they made their way through the trees and, hopefully, back towards the river. "Do you think it was another attack sent by Kougaji?" Hakkai asked Sanzo as they walked.

"More then likely. If it wasn't for Kokoro we wouldn't have been prepared at all. The damage could have been much more then it was." Sanzo remarked. "So we owe her a treat." Gojyo joked. "Do you even know what a Koken'nin eats?" Hakkai joked back.

"Hey, do you hear that?" Sanzo asked coming to a halt. All three fell silent listening to the forest around them. Over the rush of the near by waterfall, they could just make out the sounds of yelling and fighting. Hakkai looked at Gojyo. "Goku and Yuai!" Hakkai said taking off at a run in the direction the noise was coming from.

Sanzo and Gojyo followed both pulling out their individual weapons. As they got closer they could make out the sound of Goku yelling and the sound of Kokoro's growl. Ahead the trees thinned until they opened up in a clearing.

When Hakkai cleared the trees he instantly back peddled as a man flew past him. The cause for the man's brief moment of flight, followed him in a flash of white, wielding a spear like weapon that Hakkai had never seen before.

Yuai swung down with a swift cut, slicing the man straight across the chest. Yuai didn't pause for a second as another demon replaced the one she had just put down. She gave the spear a twirl as she turned to run the next demon through. The whole time, Goku stuck to her back, dealing with those who tried to sneak up on the girl.

Hakkai was surprised to see how well the two fought together, moving together and keeping an eye on each other's backs. It was as if the two had been fighting with each other their whole lives. He was also surprised to see that despite Yuai's sweet and kind appearance, she was merciless to whomever approached her and Goku, slicing them in half or running them through without so much a blink.

It was a change from how he usually saw her. She wasn't as helpless as she appeared anymore though she still had a grace about her that suggested years of practice with the weapon.

But above all, Hakkai was mainly just surprised to see how well Goku and Yuai fought together, keeping track of each other as they took down their enemies. Though Hakkai was pretty sure that was mainly due to Yuai keeping pace with Goku, instead of Goku keeping up with Yuai.

And then, just as fast as they arrived and entered the fight, it was over. Yuai and Goku had done most of the work leaving only those trying to run away for Gojyo, Hakkai, and Sanzo to deal with. "Sanzo! Gojyo, Hakkai!" Goku cheered when he saw the three.

Yuai turned on the spot to look at the three, a look of relief washing over her features as she looked at them. It looked like the girl visibly relaxed upon seeing the three. As if every muscle in her body had been tensed and ready to rip in the short amount of time the other three had been out of her sight.

She turned fully to them, the spear weapon still in hand. Now that Hakkai got a good look at it, it was a strange looking weapon. It was five feet of metal pole with strange carving, etched into the metal. At one end it flattened out into a square block that looked like it was used to smash things.

At the other end was eighteen inches of a beautifully curved blade in a half leaf shape. The tip of the blade curved back into a small hook shape. It was a wicked looking weapon that looked like it could deal the damage it did and then some.

As Yuai neared them, a smile curved her lips. "I was starting to worry that we'd never find you three." she remarked coming to a stop in front of them. "You two look like you did pretty fine for yourselves." Gojyo said looking around them at the damage in the clearing.

"Yuai's a great fighter!" Goku said throwing an arm around Yuai's shoulders. Yuai smiled back at the boy. The three older men stared at the two. They seemed to be even closer then before in the terms of their friendship.

Yuai saw the look and smiled brightly. "We bonded in the time that you three decided to take a break." she told them. Goku just grinned like a fool as Kokoro appeared on Yuai's shoulder with a small mew. Upon seeing the Koken'nin, Hakkaryuu let out a chirp of joy.

Kokoro jumped from Yuai's shoulder to Hakkai's, greeting the small dragon with a lick on the cheek. Hakkai chuckled. "Looks like they missed each other." Yuai remarked as she turned her eyes from the little creatures to Hakkai himself.

"Are you alright? None of you are hurt?" she asked. Before Hakkai could answer Gojyo threw an arm around Yuai's shoulders, leaning down to the girl's height. "So sweet of you to worry about us, but we're fine." Gojyo told her.

"Actually I was more worried about you annoying Sanzo so much that he actually shot you." Yuai told him, managing to make the red head sulk. "So, do you think they were the same people that attacked us back on the road?" Hakkai asked. Yuai, who was twisting Gojyo's arm to get him to release her, looked up at Hakkai. "Kokoro says they were." Yuai told him.

"We didn't exactly have the time to ask questions." she added releasing her hold on Gojyo's arm. The red head rubbed his shoulder as he flexed his arm, a frown on his face. "We'll figure it out later. For now lets get out of here. It'll be dark soon and as it is, we'll be camping out tonight." Sanzo remarked as he lit a cigarette.

"I know a good place. I've passed through this area before." Yuai said as Kokoro returned to her shoulder after happily checking that Hakkaryuu was alright. "Then lead the way." Hakkai told the girl with a smile.

-0-0-0-0-

In the end they ended up camping out a few miles from the waterfall in a small clearing that had a creek of fresh water running through it. Yuai helped Hakkai to cook, getting praise from Goku on her cooking skills.

Gojyo and Goku slept in the back of the jeep, Goku using the older male as a pillow, while Hakkai and Sanzo used bed rolls on the ground between the jeep and the fire. Yuai had chose to curl up on the other side of the fire, with a transformed Kokoro as her pillow and using the Koken'nin's tails as a blanket.

Half way through the night, Hakkai found himself awake and unable to sleep. When he finally pushed himself up into a sitting position and glanced across the fire, Yuai was gone. Kokoro was still asleep but the protective circle she had made around her mistress, was empty.

Hakkai glanced around, looking for the young girl. Through a gap in the trees, he could just make out Yuai's white hair against the darkness of the night. Hakkai got to his feet and headed through the trees. He found the girl sitting on a boulder perched near the edge of a cliff.

She was leaning back on her hands, staring off into space. "Can't sleep?" Hakkai asked as he joined her, dropping to sit on another boulder near hers. Yuai didn't seem surprise to find him awake. She just continued to stare out into space.

"I can't sleep a whole night through anymore." Yuai told him. "I haven't been able too since my clan was killed." she added. That explained why she could fall asleep at just about any time during the day….she didn't sleep nearly enough at night.

"Why not?" Hakkai asked. Yuai sighed. "I suppose it's a habit. Or maybe a fear." Yuai told him. "A fear?" Hakkai repeated, slightly confused at this.

"When I was captured…he use to come for me at night, as if he expected to catch me asleep and therefore off guard. I got to the point where I didn't sleep for long periods at a time and especially not at night." Yuai told him.

Now Hakkai understood. Even though she was no longer in that place, her body still felt like, if it slept at night then that man would come for her again. It was so firmly etched into her mind that it was more of a subconscious reaction then her actual choice.

The two fell silent for a while, as Hakkai thought this over. When he looked at Yuai, she had an almost troubled look in her eyes. As if something was deeply troubling her, or as if she was worried about something.

"Something you want to talk about?" he asked her. Yuai heaved a sigh as she turned to look at him. "You know your eyes are too sharp for your own good." she told him. Hakkai smiled at her as she turned to stare back out in space.

"I'm just concerned is all. For my charge that is." she told him. So she was thinking about the man that her Blood Oath centered around. "He gets into trouble far too much and I find that I'm almost always worried for him. Even when I'm right there watching him, I still worry." Yuai told him.

"You really take this seriously don't you?" Hakkai asked. Yuai nodded. "I've…grown fond of him, I suppose. But its natural for me to be worried about him." she told him. "Even if he wasn't my charge I believe I would still worry after meeting him. He's just so…I don't know how to explain it. He has this charm about him that I find is so sincere and kind hearted." she told Hakkai.

Hakkai watched her as she spoke. She spoke almost as if…she was in love. "Do you love him?" Hakkai asked, suddenly. Yuai stopped, her eyebrow snapping together as she considered the question.

"You know, I've never thought about it. Of course I care about him. I've spent the better part of three years constantly thinking about him. I wouldn't say it's love. Not like that at least." Yuai told him.

"My mother once described the feeling of being in love to me. She told me that it feels like you're basically drowning in the other person. As if the mere thought of them gets your heart racing and makes you feel like you're floating on air. She said its as if, when you realize you love them, the whole world centers on them and nothing else matters." Yuai said.

"Though I would give anything for him, and I do think of him a lot…I don't have that feeling. So I don't think its love." she added.

Hakkai smiled softly to himself. He remembered that feeling whenever he was with Kanan. He looked up at Yuai who was staring up at the stars above their head. "Give anything for him?" he asked. Yuai nodded.

"He's…he's the only reason I have left to live for. My only purpose in this life." she told Hakkai. Hakkai felt a stabbing pang in his heart at those words.

"If he's ever in trouble, I'd search forever to find him. I vowed that I would never leave him alone. That I would always be there, in the shadows to offer silent support. No matter what gets in my way, as long as I'm breathing I'll be there to protect him." Yuai said.

"I'll fight, I'll run, I'll give my life. All for him. As long as this oath exist and he needs me, I won't die." Yuai added. Hakkai stared at Yuai. As if feeling his eyes on her, she turned to look at him and smiled. "But you know…I'd do the same thing for the four of you." she told him brightly.

Such devotion, such a deep sense of loyalty. Hearing her say those things struck a cord in Hakkai and made him feel even closer to the girl, despite the obvious barrier she put up around herself, that kept him at arms length.

On the surface she opened herself up to those in need of support and shelter from the world. She opened her arms and took them in without a second thought, no matter the demons, the secrets they kept hidden deep down.

She didn't care. But deep down inside, she wrapped herself with a thinks barrier, with walls so thick not even the slightest ray of sunshine could get through. She offered others the light, the comfort they needed, but denied herself the same thing. Almost as if…she was punishing herself. Hakkai felt like he needed to know. Like, to really know the girl, he had to know her past, what she thought, everything.

"Yuai." Yuai looked at Hakkai. "Your scars…how did you get them?" he asked. Yuai blinked in surprise for a moment before her eyes darkened with a sad look. "You honestly want to know?" she asked. Hakkai nodded slowly.

Yuai turned her back to the heavens. "It was after the death of my clan." she started. "After my family was killed I was so weak and in shock that I couldn't really tell up from down and I got captured by a group of demons. It seems that a child with my coloring was rare and would gain them a great sum of money." Yuai said as she tugged on a strand of her white hair.

"I admit, even in my clan my coloring was strange. Everyone was darker skinned, with black or gray hair and ice blue or stormy gray eyes." she added sheepishly. "But they sold me to a demon lord who gave me to his son. The man…was very sadistic. He didn't want me for my body or anything like that. His pleasure was my pain." Yuai explained.

Idly one of her hands slide under her hair where it hid the right side of her neck. In doing so she revealed the thin gold band around her neck that must have been her power limiter. It sat snuggly against her throat and gleamed in the darkness.

Yuai stared off into space as if thinking. "Day in and day out he would slowly carve things into my skin just to hear me scream and cry. For a year I dealt with that, but after six months I stopped screaming and crying. It anger him and I received even more brutal punishment." Yuai said lowly.

The thought of what she had to endure made Hakkai feel sick. He actually flinched at the thought. This girl was so kind and sweet. How anyone could harm her the way she had been harm, was beyond him. And to think that after all of that she was still as kind as she was. Hakkai wouldn't have been able to do it.

"It was during that time that I met the woman I made my blood oath with. Everyday, after he was done with me she would hold me, sing to, tell me that everything would be alright. She would let me cry on her shoulder. She was almost….like my mother. That was who she reminded me of." Yuai told them, a small smile curling her lips. "It was thanks to her that I kept my sanity." Yuai added.

"After I escaped, the wounds I received were just too deep to heal without leaving scars." she finished. Hakkai let them fall into silence as Yuai stared off into space. "You know…you remind me a lot of my brother." Yuai said suddenly.

Hakkai looked up at her as she smiled at him. "You have such a sad look on your face right now." she told him, staring him straight in the eyes. Hakkai stared back at those icy silver orbs as she smiled.

"Its all in the past, Hakkai, so don't get that look." she told him. She said that, yet he could see the flash of pain deep in her eyes. The wounds on the outside may have healed to leave scars but the wounds inside were still open and fresh.

Wounds that were so deep inside that they didn't show on the outside, but at the same time, they never went away. "The past still effects people though, Yuai." he told her. Yuai heaved a sigh. "I know that. Sometimes I catch my mind idly thinking about my past. It brings back memories that I wish I didn't have. But I have to remind myself that that's all it is anymore. Memories." Yuai told him.

"Its true that it is easier to run from the past, but all running does is tire you out and leave you drowning when your past catches up with you." Yuai told him. "I don't want to be a victim to my own past. I don't want to live like that." she added.

Hakkai watched Yuai. She had managed, once again, to sound even older then him. "You're too accepting, Yuai." he said finally, but there was a smile on his face. Yuai looked at him. "Too many people would take advantage of that." he added.

"Let them." Yuai said making Hakkai look up at her. "Everyone needs someone they can rely on to keep it together when they come undone. Someone they can rely on to catch them when they fall. I have nothing else to give. The least I can do is offer that to others." she told him.

"So I decided a long time ago that I would offer that to whomever needed it. That I would accept everything about a person." she added. "Everything? Including the dark side some people have?" Hakkai asked her. Yuai laughed at this. Hakkai stared at her in surprise. "Silly man!" she told him. To say he was slightly confused would be an understatement.

"Everyone has a dark side, Hakkai. Everyone has something they want to hide. That they want to bury so deep no one else can see it. No one is perfect. Not even the gods." Yuai told him softly. "Even I have one. If _**I**_ can't accept the dark side of a person, then who can?" Yuai added as she turned to stared back out over the land before them with a smile on her face.

"Besides….it's a good way to tell whose truly your friends." she added. "If they truly care, then they can accept everything about you. Dark side included." she said. Hakkai chuckled. "You're right." he agreed. Yuai smiled at him.

"Feel better now?" she asked. Hakkai looked up at her. "What? Did you honestly expect me not to notice you've been uneasy lately?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Hakkai heaved a sigh and smiled at her. Talking with her did make him feel better. She had a way of putting things that left him feeling comforted, even if he didn't realize it at the moment. He nodded. "Yes I do." he told her.

"Good, then go back to bed. I can sleep during the day. You can't, Mr. Driver." she told him. Hakkai chuckled as he got to his feet. "You should try to get a little more sleep yourself, Yuai." he told her.

"I'll doze off again before the night's over. Don't worry so much." she told him with a smile over her shoulder as he walked back to his bedroll. He found, that after talking with Yuai, it was much easier for him to fall asleep.

END

Roomy: Thank heavens she had all this written out. I so didn't want to try to write this for her.

Yuai: She should thank you for doing this for her while she's asleep, Roomy-chan.

Roomy: Yes she should and I know just how she'll thank me.

Yuai: How?

Roomy: She's going to be cooking my dinners for the next week.

Yuai: Good for you Roomy-chan.

Roomy: Right so enjoy and review and she'll be back soon.

Yuai: Bye!


	8. Imposter Playhouse

Kyandi: I'm back everyone!

Yuai: Sorry for the hold up. Kyandi-sama has been very tired the last few days.

Kyandi: Apparently, I don't sleep nearly as much as my body would like me too.

Yuai: You don't.

Kyandi: I've noticed. Anyway so I have a new chapter for you all.

Yuai: And another one after this.

Kyandi: Right, so everyone enjoy and review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki!

Chapter 8 Imposter Playhouse

"Yuai! Come on, get back here!" Gojyo called from the back of the jeep. Hakkai chuckled as he speed up to try to catch up with Kokoro. Yuai had decided to give the Koken'nin a chance to stretch her legs and, instead of riding in the back of the jeep, was riding on Kokoro's back, with Goku right behind her.

The Koken'nin was fast when in her bigger form making Hakkai have to speed up just to catch up with her. Yuai looked back over her shoulder, a grin on her lips. "You should keep up with us!" she called back.

Goku stuck his tongue out at Gojyo. "That's it! Hakkai catch up to them so I can kick his monkey ass." Gojyo told his friend. "I'm already going as fast as I can." Hakkai told his friend.

And so it went all the way to the next town, with Yuai, Goku, and Kokoro arriving before their friends. "Looks like you beat us, Yuai." Hakkai said with a chuckle as he came to a stop beside Kokoro as Yuai and Goku climbed off her.

Kokoro shrank down to her mini form jumping up on Yuai's shoulders. "It would seem so." Yuai remarked with a bright smile. "Hey Sanzo, I'm hungry!" Goku complained to Sanzo.

"Yo, dude, don't you ever say anything besides "I'm hungry" every single day? Haven't you ever heard the saying "monkeys only know one trick"?" Gojyo asked. Goku growled to himself. "What was that, you perverted water sprite!? You're the one with sponge instead of gray matter!" Goku yelled.

"Oh dear, there they go again." Yuai remarked as Sanzo slapped a hand to his face. "Don't use weird words when you don't even know what "dog" means you dumbass ape." Gojyo replied with a smirk. "Perverted water sprite! Shut up! I know what "dog" means!" Goku snapped back trying to punch Gojyo who held him back with one hand placed on Goku's forehead.

"Well then, spit it out, right now! Well huh?" Gojyo said. Goku glared at Gojyo who only rubbed it in more. "Sanzo!" Goku whined to the blond hair man. "Shut up already." Sanzo replied.

"So you told him, didn't you, mister worldly monk?" Gojyo asked pushing Goku aside. "What are you talking about?" Sanzo replied. "How come you're trying to change the subject like that if you're a monk?" Gojyo replied.

Yuai and Hakkai watched the three from the side lines a smile on both their faces. "I told you, I don't know what you're talking about!" Sanzo replied. "Listen, Sanzo says every single day…" Goku started. "Look everyone, it's a village!" Yuai said loudly pointing to the village behind them, since it was clear the three hadn't noticed they had arrived at one.

Goku and Gojyo continued fighting, not hearing her. "I think you've gone, unheard my friend." Hakkai told Yuai. "I would believe I have as well." Yuai replied. "I'll grab Goku, if you'll get Gojyo." she offered. Hakkai smiled at her.

"Deal." he told her. Yuai grabbed Goku by the back of his shirt pulling him away from Gojyo. "Come on now Goku. Lets go get something to eat." she told him.

That snapped Goku out of the fight while Hakkai laid a hand on Gojyo's shoulder. With the fight peacefully broken up the five headed into the village. "Food! Food! Time to get the food! Eat, eat, eat…" Goku sang as they walked down the street.

"From the look of things, food and lodging shouldn't be a problem." Hakkai remarked looking around. "Doesn't look like it should." Yuai agreed. "Now the only problem is how many beautiful women are around." Gojyo remarked.

Yuai shook her head. She looked up as a small child yelled before running smack dab into Sanzo, bouncing off the blond's legs to fall flat on their backside.

"I'm sorry! We were playing tag." the child told Sanzo as he rubbed his back. The moment the child looked up he froze, staring wide eyed at Sanzo. "Are you alright?" Hakkai asked leaning over to look at the child.

"Oh he should be fine. Right, little boy?" Yuai asked knelling beside the child with a smile on her face. "You mustn't run in the street." Hakkai added with a smile to match Yuai's. "The clothing, a sutra hanging from both shoulders, and blue eyes that seem to look right through me…You must be High Priest Sanzo!" the child exclaimed as he looked up at Sanzo.

Yuai looked around as several people around them grew excited and rushed to look at Sanzo. Soon they were surrounded by people, crowding to see the monk. Yuai looked around. "My, Sanzo, you're popular." Yuai remarked as she watched the people chatter excitedly.

Somehow, before Yuai really knew what was going on, she along with the others were sitting at a long table at the head of a room, with the townspeople willingly awaiting any request from Sanzo. "Does this happen a lot?" Yuai asked in a low voice as she leaned towards Hakkai who sat beside her.

"Quite a bit actually." Hakkai told her with a smile. "But it comes in handy sometimes." Hakkai added. Yuai raised an eyebrow but didn't question it as she sat up straight. "Everyone, quiet please!" one old man, the mayor, said as he stepped forward to face the table.

"High Priest Sanzo, thank you for visiting our humble village!" the man said bowing his head to Sanzo. "Umm…could you tell us why you're receiving us like this?" Yuai asked giving the man a smile.

"Oh, of course. I should start at the beginning. Once upon a time, this village, was saved by High Priest Sanzo. It would've been about four hundred years ago." the man said. Goku looked at Sanzo hard. "Sanzo, were you alive that long ago?" Goku asked making Sanzo turn a glare on him.

"What do you think?" Sanzo asked in an annoyed tone. Yuai leaned around Hakkai to look at Goku. "Even I know that the title Sanzo, is handed down from generation to generation among the protectors of the sutras." Yuai told Goku.

"And I'm from the border lands of Shangri-La." she added. "We were unable to give thanks properly the last time, so we've been waiting for another chance to properly thank you with our entire village." the old man said.

"I see. I understand what's going on here." Sanzo said. "Well then…" the old man started but Sanzo cut him off by standing. "While I understand your feel…" Sanzo started but Gojyo and Goku quickly popped up to clap hands over his mouth.

"Sanzo says he feels very honored." Gojyo told the villagers. "Sanzo says he's really hungry." Goku added. Yuai looked at the two, blinking in surprise. The look on Sanzo's face was clear. He was going to kill the two later.

Hakkai chuckled brightly from beside her. "I see. Then without further…" the old man was cut off. "Hold it right there!" Goku and Gojyo said suddenly. "Is something wrong?" the old man asked. "Sanzo says he wants some meat to eat." Goku told them.

"Sanzo says he wants to be served by some beautiful women." Gojyo added. Yuai shook her head. "That's clearly not Sanzo's request." she mused lowly. "Oh, he appears to be saying he wants some wine too." Hakkai added brightly.

Yuai looked up at Hakkai. "You too, Hakkai?" Yuai asked raising an eyebrow. Hakkai gave her a smile. "You want something, Yuai?" he asked. Yuai looked past Hakkai to Sanzo and shook her head. The look on Sanzo's face was clear enough.

The other three were already dead meat for forcing him to be the center of the villagers' attention. She was not going to put herself in his bad graces when he was sitting so close and had a banishing gun on him.

She may be half god but that thing could still work on her. "No thank you." Yuai told Hakkai. "I'd rather not end up with a bullet between the eyes." Yuai added.

Hakkai gave her a smile as the villagers filed out of the room. "He won't actually shoot us." Hakkai assured her. Yuai looked past Hakkai again at the fuming Sanzo. "I wouldn't be so sure of that one." she told Hakkai who chuckled.

"I see. We'll prepare everything right away." the old man said bowing to the five before following the others out. Yuai just shook her head at the others, though there was a smile on her face. "You are silly men." she mused.

Hakkai smiled at her. "I swear." Sanzo muttered as he linked his fingers together in front of him. It was easy to tell he was upset. "What are you so mad about Sanzo?" Goku asked laying a hand on the monk's shoulder. "Right. If they're offering, just be grateful and accept." Gojyo added.

"Listen, what I'm worried about is what happens afterwards." Sanzo replied. "Meaning?" Hakkai asked leaning to the side. "I think what he means it that these are the kind of people who always are asking things of a priest like Sanzo." Yuai pointed out.

"Exactly. These are the kind of people that always come begging for you to stay on, or offer them teachings, or something." Sanzo agreed. Hakkai chuckled. "I see where it hurts you." Hakkai told him. "But none of that matters to either of them." Yuai added gesturing to Goku and Gojyo.

The doors suddenly flying open had Yuai and the other four looking up. "I ask you, are you the people calling yourselves the Sanzo party?" Standing in the doorway…was four men dressed as Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo, and Goku.

Though none of them fit the character all too well. "Now that the real thing has appeared, you're not getting away with it any longer. You hooligans!" said the fat little man dressed as Hakkai. All five stared at the group in surprise.

Suddenly Hakkai, Goku, and Gojyo broke out laughing while Yuai covered her own laugh. "How dare you laugh, you uncouth bastards!" the tall man dressed as Goku yelled. Yuai choked back a harder laugh. "Just who do you think this exalted person is!?" the man dressed as Gojyo added. "This is the legendary High Priest Sanzo!" the fake Gojyo added. By now even Sanzo was laughing at the four.

"Are you trying to make us laugh to death?" Gojyo asked between laughs. "That Gojyo….that Gojyo…he's a work of art…" Goku managed. "My! My friend I have to say you look much better good looking then that!" Yuai told Hakkai, hand clamped over her mouth.

"You'll have to pardon us…" Hakkai started but his laughter got the better of him. "Who do I think that exalted person is?" Sanzo mocked. The four men didn't look like they were taking the mocking very lightly. "Would you cut it out already, you imposters!?" yelled the fake Hakkai.

"Say what? Just which of us is outta line here?" Gojyo asked finally able to rein in his laughter. He flew to his feet, Sanzo laying a hand on his shoulder. "You cheap ass knock offs!" Gojyo snapped. "Stop it." Sanzo told Gojyo.

"Just let it go." Sanzo told him when Gojyo looked back at him. Yuai and the others had stopped laughing by now as the old man came back in looking between the two groups confused. "W….what is the meaning of this?" he asked.

"Now, um…" he looked between the two groups again. "Which are the real ones?" he asked himself. "Apparently we are! The Sanzo party doesn't have a girl on it!" the fake Gojyo yelled. Yuai looked up blinking as she pointed to herself. "Who me?" she asked.

-0-0-0-0-

In the end its was Yuai and the four that ended up locked up. "What's going on here?" Goku asked. "Apparently, we seem like imposters." Hakkai told him. "I didn't even get to eat anything yet." Goku complained.

"Well now we won't get mixed up in any of the annoying stuff at least." Sanzo remarked. "Is that sour grape because you got mistaken for your own imposter?" Goku asked glaring at Sanzo. "What was that?" Sanzo asked about to lose his temper.

"I'm sorry, guys. It was because of me that they thought you were fakes." Yuai said with a sigh as she hung her head. "Its not your fault Yuai!" Goku told her. Sanzo let it drop seeing the girl like that.

"Quit sulking, its not your fault." Sanzo told her. "Now, now don't worry about all of that. At least our accommodation problem's been taken care of." Hakkai said brightly.

Yuai and the others looked around the small cell. "Accommodations, huh?" Gojyo, Sanzo, and Goku coursed. "Hakkai, my friend, I think you're looking at this a little too brightly." Yuai remarked. "You think?" Hakkai asked her.

"Still, those guys got some sharp wits there." Gojyo remarked with a laugh. "People like them do exist, there's no mistake." Hakkai remarked. "Hey Sanzo, I'm hungry." Goku whined. "Just go eat the walls or something." Sanzo told him.

"Hey shut up over there!" yelled the guard outside the cell. Goku went up to the bars by the guard. "Hey Pops, I'm hungry." Goku whined. "You're pretty shameless for a criminal." the guard replied.

"I didn't know we were criminals." Yuai remarked with a smile. "I don't care what, just bring me something quick, okay." Goku whined again. "Don't be ridiculous! There's nothing for the likes of you to eat!" the guard yelled.

Goku sulked. "Cheap stake." he complained. "Then I'll go get it myself." Goku declared much to the guard's amusement. "Don't try to make a fool out of me, you shitty little brat. Do you even know what you…" the guard trailed off as Goku bent the bars out of place.

He jumped back from Goku in shock. "Food….food…" Goku chanted as he walked past the guard. Yuai watched as the guard turned to run, screaming "Monsters!" before tripping and falling due to Gojyo tripping him with the chain of his weapon.

"Oopsie. That's not the way, see?" Gojyo remarked. "That's right. You've got to watch over us properly, Mister Guard." Hakkai added.

Yuai covered a laugh as Gojyo dragged the guard back, he, Hakkai, and Sanzo standing over him threateningly. "Play nice you three!" Yuai told them playfully. "Lets see now." Hakkai remarked cracking his knuckles with a smile on his face, effectively making the guard pass out.

Yuai stuck her head out of the cell. "Think you might have gone a bit over board with that?" she asked. "He'll be fine." Hakkai assured her. In the end the guard turned into their personal server, bringing them whatever they wanted.

"Hey! We need a new ashtray." Gojyo called holding up the full one. "Coming right up!" the guard called rushing to do the task. "This wine is pretty good." Hakkai remarked as Yuai refilled his cup for him. "I'd offer you a cup, Yuai, but a young lady shouldn't get drunk in the presence of males." Hakkai told her.

Yuai laughed. "I can't get drunk. Or at least it takes a lot. My brother insisted I knew what alcohol tasted like so no one could spike my drinks when I got older." Yuai told him with a smile. "Though I have to say…" Yuai looked at Sanzo who was going through one beer can after another.

"I didn't know monks drank." she remarked. "More beer!" Sanzo ordered of the guard. "Yes sir!" the guard replied bringing Sanzo more beer.

"Don't you want anything, Yuai?" Hakkai asked looking at the girl as she sat down the empty wine bottle and picked up the small plate of food she had claimed for herself. "No thank you. I'm just fine. I might drink from time to time, but I'm not much of a person to do it too much and I'm not all that hungry." she told him.

Despite being "locked" in a cell the group ate and drank pretty well and soon they all fell asleep. Sanzo snooze lightly where he was sprawled out on one of the two beds, Hakkai asleep sitting at the foot of it. Yuai got the other bed, Goku and Gojyo leaning on the end of it.

Despite all the snoring from Goku and Gojyo Yuai dozed, if only lightly, in and out of sleep. She rolled over when Sanzo sneezed in his sleep but otherwise was undisturbed. Then a demonic presence prickled at her senses making her bolt up in bed.

Sensing it as well, Hakkai, Sanzo, and Gojyo were soon awake as well. "This…" Hakkai looked up at the ceiling. "Looks like another ambush has arrived." Sanzo remarked. "Hey, wake up, Goku." Gojyo said tapping Goku on the cheek to wake him.

"Breakfast time already?" Goku asked waking up. "Here it comes." Sanzo remarked as Yuai got to her feet standing on the bed. "What? They took our order already?" Goku asked. Outside the cell the guard flew by.

"Save me too!" he called to them. He ran off and soon the imposters came into view, except they looked like a bunch of mindless zombies. "Hey now, what kind of joke is that?" Gojyo asked. "Looks like they're after us." Sanzo remarked.

"How unfortunate." Hakkai agreed. Yuai looked down as Goku dozed back off. "Don't sleep!" Gojyo yelled at him. "Goku, my friend, now is not the time to be sleeping!" Yuai told him as the imposters attacked them.

Yuai was sure the exploding of the wall would wake everyone in the village and she soon found herself outside. "Their movements aren't normal are they?" Sanzo asked. "It appears that they're being controlled by someone." Hakkai agreed.

"Such humorous greeting." Gojyo added. "Now is really not the time, Gojyo." Yuai told him lightly. "Hey, now what?" Goku asked, finally awake. "Even if they're being controlled, they're still human. And weak ones at that." Yuai said.

"I agree." Hakkai said with a nod. "We should be careful to restrain ourselves, and…huh?" Hakkai cut off in mid sentence as they all looked at Goku. "What's up?" Goku asked. "Goku, sit this one out." Gojyo remarked.

"How come?" Goku asked. "You can't restrain yourself, can you?" Gojyo remarked. "Jerk!" Goku snapped. "Well, sadly its true my friend." Yuai agreed.

"You think you've got time to chat!?" the fake Hakkai barked. "We're taking your lives!" the fake Goku added before attacking. Despite being told to sit the fight out, Goku summoned his weapon and attacked back.

Yuai jumped aside as the others attacked too. "Their faster then I thought!" Yuai remarked. "It seems they've been fortified with youryoku. It's probably quite a strain on their bodies. They can't stand this for long! If so, what're we suppose to do about it?" Hakkai asked.

"Ain't it obvious?" Gojyo asked. "I think even Yuai knows that answer by now." Gojyo added. Yuai smiled. "That I do!" she answered. "We kick their asses, hard enough that they don't die!" Goku said.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, my friend." Yuai remarked as she vaulted over the fake Gojyo's head. "No doubt!" Gojyo agreed.

Yuai barreled into the fake Hakkai, knocking him off his feet as Goku and Gojyo both took down their imposters. Hakkai took over from there pinning his imposter. "Everything's okay on my end, too." he called cheerfully.

Sanzo took his imposter down with a solid punch to the jaw. "All that's left is…" Sanzo started but cut off when he saw the others were already done. "Four for four!" Goku said cheerfully. "Nice work out." Gojyo said.

"Lets let Sanzo handle the rest." Hakkai said before turning to Yuai who was sitting on top of the other fakes. "You might want to get off of there, now." Hakkai told her. Yuai hopped down and got out of the way.

Yuai looked up as there was a crash on top of the building where Sanzo was confronting the demon that had been controlling the imposters. "Hey pretty flashy there, Sanzo!" Goku called. "Hang in there!" Gojyo added.

Yuai watched as, as the sun rose, Sanzo used his sutra to take down the demon before finishing it off with a shot from his gun. "And that is why I don't want to get in his bad graces." Yuai remarked making Hakkai chuckle.

At their feet the imposters started waking up. "Man, I hurt all over." the fake Hakkai remarked. "I really got wrecked." the fake Goku added. "My head hurts." complained the fake Sanzo. Then all four notice Yuai, Hakkai, Goku, and Gojyo standing over them.

"So you're finally awake, you fakes?" Gojyo asked. "But man, you guys don't look anything like us." Goku added. "Imitating us is dangerous." Hakkai agreed. "So I recommend not doing so anymore." Hakkai added.

Yuai popped in beside Hakkai. "You know the real Sanzo party when there is a girl. Though…I just joined." Yuai said with a smile at the four.

"Hey you there." Sanzo said walking up. "Y…yes sir?" the fake Sanzo asked. "Get out of my sight already." Sanzo told them. Yuai watched as the four ran off. Yuai turned to Hakkai and smiled. "Well that was an interesting way to spend a night." she remarked.

"Believe me, my dear, it only gets better." Hakkai told her as Sanzo spoke with the elder of the village. "If that's the case, then I'll keep my eyes peeled." Yuai joked. "Come on, lets go." Sanzo said rejoining them. Yuai nodded as she fell in step next to the others. With a mew, Kokoro appeared on Yuai's head.

"Where have you been!?" Gojyo asked pointing at the Koken'nin. "Oh didn't I tell you? In mini form, when she sleeps, nothing can wake her up." Yuai said with a smile. Kokoro mewed in agreement. "Stupid fur ball." Gojyo remarked.

As pay back Kokoro gave a shake of her butt before jumping at him, landing on his face. "Ah! Get her off!" Gojyo said trying to pull Kokoro off. The others started laughing at him. "But Gojyo, she likes you!" Yuai joked. Things certainly never were boring when she was with the Sanzo party. That was for sure.

END

Kyandi: Alright there's the new chapter for you!

Yuai: The other chapter will have to wait for in the morning.

Kyandi: Right. I'm tired and its like four in the morning here.

Yuai: So I'll get Kyandi-sama off to bed now.

Kyandi: Right, so everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye bye!


	9. Blood Binding

Kyandi: Hey everyone I have the new chapter for you!

Yuai: She didn't wake up until way after noon.

Kyandi: I was tired, sue me.

Yuai: I only pointed it out.

Kyandi: Uh-huh….Anyway everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 9 Blood Binding

"_Yuai!" The crackling of flames, the roar of the fire, and the pounding of the rain. Yuai couldn't hear over it all. It roared in her ears, the smoke of the fire burning her nose and making her eyes water. "Yuai! Run!" _

_Yuai whipped around the flames raising higher and higher over her head. "Big brother! Mama! Papa!" she screamed, her throat dry from the smoke. Laughter, low and dark, sounded off the burning walls. "Poor little lamb. Run, run, run as fast as you can!" the voice mocked. "I'll always find you, little lamb." A blood turning scream filled Yuai's ears._

Yuai bolted up out of her little makeshift bed in the protective curl of Kokoro's body. Her breathing was uneven, coming in short cut off gasp and she was covered in sweat. Her head whipped around as she looked to see if the flames really were incasing her.

Instead of the burning room, she found hers among the camp site that she and the others were stopped at. Gojyo and Goku were asleep in the back of the Jeep, while Hakkai and Sanzo had out the bedrolls, both sound asleep. The night was peaceful, quiet, and cool. No signs of screaming or flames to be seen or heard.

Finally able to take a shaky, but deep breath, Yuai dropped her head into her hand the other going to her chest where her heart pounded loudly in her ears. "It would be nice to have a nice, dreamless sleep for once." she remarked lowly to herself as she got to her feet.

She need to cool her head. Leaving Kokoro asleep, she took off into the trees for a short walk. The dream was one of the few that came almost every night. A memory of her last moments in her family's home as it burned to the ground from the demon that had killed them all.

Each time she had the dream she woke up after rehearing her mother's scream, her heart pounding, covered in sweat, and breathing like she had just run half way across Shangri-La.

It made it impossible for Yuai to sleep. Though in the last few weeks, especially since she had joined Sanzo and the others, she hadn't really had them. That didn't mean she slept the night through, though she slept more then she usually did.

But in the last few days sleep was almost impossible, as more and more of the dreams came. It was becoming ridiculous. She never slept more then two minutes anymore.

She didn't let it show to the others though she had a feeling that Hakkai suspected something when she wasn't as responsive as she usually was. But she couldn't really bring herself to explain it to him. It would only make his worry even more and she couldn't do that to him.

Yuai finally came to a stack of boulders, claiming a seat on one before running her hand through her hair. "This is really becoming ridiculous." she remarked lowly to herself. "Your telling me." Yuai jumped, spinning around to come face to face with Gojyo.

"Gojyo!? What are you doing out here?" she asked settling back down when she saw it was only him. "I saw you leaving. Watched you toss and turn for a while before that too." he told her. Yuai hung her head with a defeated sigh.

"I didn't even notice you were awake." she said as he sat down next to her. "I was wondering why you've been out of it lately. The lack of sleep and nightmares explain it." Gojyo said. Yuai frowned.

"Nightmares is an understatement." she remarked. "That bad?" Gojyo asked. "Nightmares are dreams gone wrong. Things your mind comes up with. Mine are nightmares. Their memories." Yuai told him as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Memories playing over and over, never changing and never stopping." she added. "Want to talk about it?" Gojyo asked. "What and give you nightmares?" Yuai asked mustering up a small smile.

"Its not something, I'm ready to talk about just yet. Not the whole thing. I'm afraid that just might bring about more bad dreams." she told him. Gojyo watched her as she pressed the heel of her hands to her eyes. "It not like you aren't already waking up every two seconds from them." he told her. Yuai gave a curt laugh.

"You have a point, my friend." she remarked. "And what about you? Why were you awake?" Yuai asked looking at him. Gojyo gave her a grim smile. "Same as you I guess. Old memories making sleep hard." he told her.

Yuai nodded as she looked down. Something wedge between two boulders caught her attention. "What's this?" Yuai asked leaning down to pluck the bright red flower from its hiding spot. She held it up and looked at it.

Gojyo seemed to freeze next to her as he looked at it. Yuai looked at him. "Gojyo?" she asked. Gojyo shook his head. "Its nothing." he told her. Yuai let her arm fall as she looked at him. "Its never nothing when you freeze like that. What's wrong my friend?" she asked. Gojyo looked at her. She was watching him closely with that look of hers that said she would listen, without judging, as long as he wanted to tell her.

"I gave flowers like that to my mother once." he told her pointing to the flower in her hand. Yuai looked down at the flower. "Its pretty." she remarked. "She didn't think so." Gojyo told her making Yuai look at him.

"As you know I'm half human, half demon. A child of taboo." he told her. "My step-mother raised me as her own after my old man died." he added. "I see. So you weren't raised by your birth mother." Yuai said. Gojyo shook his head as he stared into space.

"She was…always crying. Especially when she saw me. Always a reminder of what my old man did." Gojyo told her. Yuai pulled her knees up to her chest to listen to him, her chin resting on her knees.

"I found flowers like that once and thought I might be able to make her smile, just once, if I took them to her. But they only reminded her of my hair and eyes and it only upset her more." Gojyo told her pointing to the flower in her hand.

"She would…get violent and only my older brother could stop her. But he couldn't stop her this time. She was bent on killing me." Gojyo added idly touching the scars on his cheek. "To save me…he killed her." he added. "At least she was finally able to stop crying." Gojyo remarked before falling into silence.

Yuai looked at him before looking down at the flower in her hand. She held it up to look at it's blood red petals in the moon light.

"Well I love it. The color of your hair and eyes." she said finally making Gojyo look at her in surprise. "You know in my culture, among my clan, red is a color of good fortune. And in others it's a color that stands for courage and bravery." she remarked staring at the flower.

"All things I link back to you." she told him. Gojyo watched her as she turned the flower in her fingers. "We're both children of taboo, Gojyo, so I know how you feel to be marked by something that is always a reminder to those around that you're not like them." Yuai told him.

"The others of my clan, saw me as an outcast, something that shouldn't exist. A monster. Some were violent, others were just…cold. And you know what, despite all of it I always knew, no matter what happened, that my big brother would always come to help me." she told him.

"I could always come home and my brother would be there to pat me on the head and tell me that everything was just fine. He would always come to my rescue and he always did so with a smile." Yuai told him fondly.

Gojyo watched her. "By the thoughts of others, neither of us should exist and yet…we do." Yuai remarked as she twirled the flower, watching the red petals dance. "That alone should say something. It something really shouldn't be here in this world, then the gods would have made it where it couldn't. And yet you and I both sit here, breathing, talking, and living." Yuai added with a smile.

She turned to him and gave him a big smile. "And if that's not the case and I say screw them. They aren't worth the heart ache." she added as she looked at the flower in her hand again.

"But you want to know what I think?" she asked. "Yeah sure." Gojyo told her leaning on his knees to watch her. "I think it wasn't you that made your mother cry." Yuai told him turning to look at him.

"It wasn't you. If it honestly was you that caused her the pain that made her cry…then she wouldn't have taken you in and raised you as her own, like she did." Yuai told him. Gojyo stared at her surprised.

"It wasn't you, but rather what your father did. The hurt and betrayal he made her feel. And hurt and betrayal can lead people, be they human or demon, to do things they normally wouldn't. Deep down inside, she loved you. If she didn't she wouldn't have taken in another woman's child and raised him as her very own." Yuai told him with a smile.

"And not everyone sees the color of your hair and eyes as the color of wrongness or sin. I don't. It reminds me of the color of blood. The same blood that all of us, humans, demons and every mix between, share." she told him nudging his arm.

"Besides…no one can wear red like you." she told him brightly. At that Gojyo couldn't help but smile and chuckle. The girl knew just what to say to make a person feel better, to feel…accepted. "How's it look on me?" Yuai asked drawing his attention.

Gojyo looked up to where she had tucked the flower behind her ear. He couldn't help grin. "Like you said, no one can wear red like me, but not bad." he told her both of them laughing at their silliness. Yuai smiled at him, glad to see him back in a good mood.

"But really Gojyo, you got to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault. You're a great person and a friend I wouldn't trade for anything. Though I won't tell you to forget your past, you have to move on from it. Your future isn't decided by your past." she told him.

"Though I really should practice what I preach." she added with a smile. Gojyo gave her a smile. "You're an alright kid." he told her. Yuai grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment." she told him. "And what about you?" he asked.

"I'll be fine." she told him. "You don't look fine." he remarked taking in the drained look on her face. "Perhaps not, but I will be fine. I'm a harder nut to crack then that." she told Gojyo with a smile, knocking her knuckles against her head. "If I fall apart, I'll put myself back together. I've done it before and I'll do it again." she added looking up at the night sky.

Gojyo eyed her as she started at the sky above them. "That's great and all….but don't you ever get tired of being your own one man team?" he asked her. Yuai blinked as she looked at him.

"Everyone needs someone to root for them. Even those already rooting for someone, need someone to root for them." Gojyo told her. Yuai smiled.

"Maybe you're right, but over the years I've learned not to risk those I care about. So no matter the damage it does to me, if I bleed or hurt, I'd rather do it alone. I rather no one try for me and possibly get hurt or worse. Not now. I don't deserve it. And I don't want to risk more people I care about." Yuai told him as she stared up at the sky.

Gojyo watched her distant look. He didn't know what to say to that. Hakkai was the one that was good with that kind of stuff, not him. Finally Yuai heaved a sigh. "We should get back and try to sleep. Won't do if we both fall asleep in the middle of a fight or something." Yuai told him with a bright smile. Gojyo nodded, though he was still worried about the young girl.

Yuai got to her feet dusting off the back of her shorts. "Lets go." she said offering him her hand. Gojyo grinned taking her hand and letting her pull him to his feet. "You're a stubborn kid, you know that right?" he asked.

Yuai grinned at him. "I travel with four men, two of which are always fighting, a third that is always threatening to shoot the others, and a fourth that only seems to find amusement in it all. You call me stubborn?" she asked as they walked.

Gojyo opened his mouth, but seeing the point in what she said closed it. "Alright, your point. Want to try for two out of three?" he asked making her laugh.

END

Kyandi: I have another chapter I'll be putting up shortly.

Yuai: So we'll go get it ready for all of you.

Kyandi: Yep. I've had nothing to do these last couple of days.

Yuai: Except sleep.

Kyandi: True. So everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon!

Kyandi: Bye bye!


	10. Brooding Buddies

Kyandi: Hey everyone!

Yuai: We're back!

Kyandi: Okay here another chapter.

Yuai: We might have another here shortly.

Kyandi: My muse blew up in my face with this story.

Yuai: Meaning the chapters just keep coming out.

Kyandi: So we'll get on to it!

Yuai: Right. Enjoy and review!

Kyandi: I do not own Saiyuki. Hehe….I almost put Prince of Tennis.

Chapter 10 Brooding Buddies

"If you two don't shut up, I swear I will kill you!" Of course, as everyday did, the day started out with Gojyo and Goku fighting and Sanzo vowing to kill them if they didn't shut up.

"You think he'll ever actually do it?" Yuai asked Hakkai from where she was leaning on the back of his seat, her elbows sitting on the seat and her chin sitting in one hand. She was watching the other three as they argued and fought, Sanzo hitting the other two with a paper fan. Hakkai chuckled.

"I doubt it, but you never know with Sanzo." Hakkai told her. Kokoro, sitting on Hakkai's shoulder mewed before curling up in a ball where she sat and going to sleep. Yuai looked down at her. "She's really taken a liking to you, Hakkai. She doesn't usually like anyone other then me and children." Yuai remarked.

Hakkai smiled. "Hakkaryuu has taken a liking to you too." he told her. Yuai smiled. "Too bad their not of the same species." Yuai remarked idly as she looked at Kokoro. "Your parents weren't. If it didn't matter to them, I doubt it matters to Kokoro and Hakkaryuu." Hakkai told her with a smile.

Yuai smiled. "You're right. True love passes all barriers. Right as always." Yuai told him. Yuai turned her attention to in front of them. "Oh look, a village!" she said pointing ahead of them.

"Looks like we might not be camping out tonight." Hakkai said though the other three were still fighting and hadn't heard them. "How much longer do you think they'll keep this up?" Yuai asked draping one arm over Hakkai's shoulder as she half turned to watch the three.

"Until we stop, I suppose." Hakkai replied with a smile. "And then it'll start again?" Yuai asked raising an eyebrow at the man. Hakkai chuckled. "You're probably right about that!" he told her. "Just what's so funny?" Gojyo asked turning on the two.

"Oh nothing, nothing!" Yuai told him waving a hand in dismissal. "Just some idle chit chat." she added Hakkai chuckling at her. Before any of the other three could say anything Yuai pointed forward. "Look a village!" she told them giving them all a bright smile.

Thankful to finally reach another village the argument was dropped from there. Once in the village the five headed straight to the only inn in the whole village.

"Sorry, but we only have one room left and it only has two beds." the woman told Hakkai when they went to check in. "We can manage." Hakkai told her with a smile. Now it was going to be a fight on who got the bed.

Naturally as the girl, Yuai claimed one of the beds, Kokoro and Hakkaryuu watching from her lap as the boys argued on how to settle who got the second bed. "Why not a game? Cards or something else to decide?" Yuai suggested.

All four looked at her. "She's got a point." Gojyo said. Yuai already knew who was going to be sleeping in the other bed when they settled on a card game to decide. After all…..no one beat Hakkai at poker.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Gojyo said when, as Yuai thought, Hakkai came out the winner of the card game. "I figured that would be the case." Yuai said brightly making Gojyo frown at her. Goku popped up pushing Gojyo's head down as he looked at Yuai.

"Yuai, can I sleep up there with you?" Goku asked. "Get off me dumbass ape!" Gojyo said. "And she's not going to le-" Yuai cut Gojyo off. "I don't see why not. There's enough room for two." Yuai said brightly. The bed truly was big enough for two to lay in comfortably and not be laying on top of each other.

Even if Goku sprawled out like he always did, there was enough room that he wouldn't bother Yuai. Goku cheered, jumping up on the bed while Gojyo glared at him. Hakkai chuckled.

"How did it end up with me and the monk sleeping in the floor?" Gojyo complained. "Sorry, I would let one of you sleep up here with me but for one, you're both too big. There wouldn't be enough room. And two, Gojyo your reputation precedes you." Yuai told him.

Gojyo frowned at her. "And three, I don't want to accidentally bump Sanzo in his sleep and get shot." Yuai added causing Sanzo to turn a glare on her. "I will kill you." Sanzo told her. "See what I mean?" Yuai asked with a smile.

"And its your own faults. You should have known that if you choose a card game that Hakkai would win." Yuai added as Goku flopped back on the bed beside her. Hakkai smiled as Goku laughed at the two in the floor.

"After all, how can you expect to win when he counts the cards." Yuai added with a shrug. All four males looked at her. "Oh you didn't notice?" Yuai asked blinking innocently back at them. "My bad~!" Yuai sang before turning to slip under her blanket.

"Well night!" she told the others. "Hey! Don't just say things like that and then declare you're going to bed!" Gojyo snapped at her. Hakkai chuckled as Yuai stuck her tongue out at Gojyo. It was never a dull day that was for sure.

"She's right though. We should go to bed." Hakkai remarked. Goku was already snoring from where he lay on his half of Yuai's bed, his limbs already sprawled out all over the place. "See you all in the morning." Yuai told them before laying down, pulling her blanket up.

Hakkaryuu and Kokoro curled up together on Yuai's pillow right next to the girl's head. Yuai gave both a smile before laying down and pulling her blanket up. Hakkai reached out and turned off the lights as they all laid down to sleep.

That night a storm passed over head and it rained hard.

-0-0-0-0-

_A shudder wrack her small body as another crack of thunder boomed over head shaking the very stone beneath her. She let out another whimper as she covered her ears. _

"_Hush, little one. It'll be alright. Its just thunder. Just noise." a soothing voice told her as a soft hand pet her hair careful not to touch the scarred and bloody back. Another crack of thunder had her wrapping small arms around the comforting person holding her. "It's alright. You're a warrior remember?" the woman told her. Yuai nodded but couldn't help the small whimper as another crack of thunder sounded. _

"_Yuai, remember what I've told you. Remember our oath. As long as you have that you have a reason to face the world. A little thunder and rain isn't going to hurt you." the woman told her soothingly. She pet Yuai's hair soothing the child as she shook from fear of the thunder and rain. "Just calm down. It'll all be alright. I promise." the woman told her, rocking Yuai as she hummed lightly to the frightened child._

_But everything wasn't alright. The very person who comforted her, soothed her when she was scared and hurt, died before her eyes. Left the world and Yuai behind. The only person she had left was gone. Once again….she was alone. A loud crack of thunder rang loudly in her ears, drowning out all other noise._

Yuai bolted up in bed as a real crack of thunder sounded. She looked around the room hoping it wasn't thunder but maybe Goku rolling out of the bed. No such luck. Goku was sprawled out on the bed next to her, snoring his head off.

Gojyo was in the floor on a pallet spread between the two beds, Sanzo on the other side on another. Both were asleep, Gojyo snoring. Hakkai was asleep on his back, on the bed across form her. No one moved or mad a sound besides snoring.

Yuai pressed a shaking hand to her face. She hated the rain and thunder alike. It was only a reminder of the two worst days of her life. When another crack sounded from outside Yuai jumped in her skin. She needed to get out of the small room before she really freaked.

Yuai climbed out of the bed, careful not to wake Goku or the two little occupants of her pillow. She slipped past Sanzo and Gojyo and out of the room. She made her way out to a balcony where she sat in a corner, watching the rain from under the cover over the balcony.

She pulled her knees to her chest. On second thought it probably wasn't the best idea to go outside but she didn't want to wake anyone else. So she clamped her hands over her ears trying to drown out the pounding of the rain and the crack of the thunder.

Though she probably look a lot like a little child trying to drown out something they didn't want to hear, she didn't care. She really did hate the rain and the thunder didn't make it any better. In fact all it did do was make it even worse.

"Clamp your hands any hard and you might bust your ear drums." Yuai was surprised out of her thoughts and brooding state when she heard Sanzo's voice. She looked up to find the male sitting at the table not ten feet from her, smoking a cigarette.

She hadn't even sense him arriving. She stared at him in shock for a moment, like she had never seen the blond before, before she turned her head away her arms wrapping around her legs. "I hate the rain." she said in disconsolate tone.

Having never heard that tone from the girl before Sanzo looked at her. She was staring out at the rain. Her usually bright silver-white eyes looked dark gray like a cloud heavy with rain as she stared out at the night.

Sanzo was sure it was the lighting playing a trick on his eyes but her eyes at the moment reminded him of storm cloud. Dark, heavy, so dark gray they were almost pitch black. He found that it was a look….that he didn't like on her.

Or maybe it was because he wasn't use to seeing her like that. A girl who looked better when she had a smile on her face and a bright, supportive tone to her voice. Someone who accepted the darker sides of people just to get to know the brighter sides of them.

Someone who gave and didn't take unless they had to and even then, grudgingly. That was Yuai. This dark, depressed, brooding in darkness girl before him didn't fit the girl he knew. No it was his job to be dark and depressing at times. Not hers.

"Join the club." Sanzo told her taking another drag off his cigarette. "You know the brooding and gloom is my job. Not your's." he added. That put a ghost of her usual smile on her face, but it lacked the bright, warm feeling that usually came with it.

"Everyone has their darker sides, Sanzo. Not even I can be cheerful and bright all of the time." Yuai told him. "And I…I detest the rain. To the very core of my being, I hate the rain. If I hate nothing else in the world, at least I can say, with every fiber of my being, that I hate the rain." she added.

"Heavy words coming from you." Sanzo remarked. Yuai gave a curt laugh. "The feelings match. I have a very good reason for hating the rain." she told him. "You're not the only one." Sanzo replied gruffly. "I suppose we all have reasons for being the way we arm. I know I have mine." Yuai said heaving a sigh.

"Meaning?" Sanzo asked glancing at the girl as he lit another cigarette. "I am as accepting as I am of others' darker sides because I know what its like to have a dark side you can't run from. One that no matter how hard you try to bury it, to move on from it….it just keeps coming back." she remarked.

"I know what its like to be pushed aside, left out, excluded…denied, the comfort every living being needs. It hurts and its not a pleasant feeling. I am the way I am because I want to spare as many people as I can, human and demon alike, the same feelings I had." Yuai told him.

"We all have changed and been molded into who we are because of our thoughts and feelings towards our pasts. No matter how much you want to deny it, you're the same, Sanzo." she added.

"No one can run from their past." Sanzo said gruffly. "No they can not." Yuai agreed. "But everyone can carry on. Others can find others to face the world with them, to help to continue with their existence." Yuai added.

Sanzo looked at her as she stared out at the sky. "No one wants to face this world alone." she said lowly. Sanzo turned his eyes from her. It was a true enough statement. "No one wants to be alone period." Sanzo said.

"Does that include you, Mr. Monk?" Yuai asked looking at him out of the sides of her eyes. Sanzo didn't look at her and didn't answer. "You're just like Hakkai." he said finally. The faint, ghost of a smile that had been on Yuai's face slipped away.

"No….no I'm not. I'm not in the least." came Yuai's low voice. It almost sounded as if her voice had trembled for a moment. Sanzo looked at her.

She was staring out at the night, her head bowed enough for her bangs to hid her eyes from him. "Hakkai is a far better person than I. Whatever sins he may have committed in his past, could never amount to the ones that dirty my hands." she said lowly.

Sanzo stared at her, taking another drag of his cigarette. Did Yuai even know about Hakkai's past? So far none of them really knew much about hers, except what she had told them. "That's a load of…" Yuai cut him off.

"You can say it's a load of crap until you're blue in the face, but its not. Not to me. Despite everything that's happened to me or around me….I haven't even begun to atone for my sins. And to be honest….I doubt I ever could in this life time or even twenty. My wounds may look healed, Sanzo, but they never will fully heal." she told him.

Sanzo watched her as she continued talking. He hadn't seen her this open before and he doubted she even realized she was saying half of this.

"I suppose the main reason I took my oath was as a form of minor atonement. A way to try to make up for some fraction of the wrong I've committed. That and I'm a chicken." she remarked. Sanzo raised an eyebrow, despite the fact that she couldn't see it.

"I had nothing left at that time. I could have died then with no qualms, nothing to bind me to this world. But I was a chicken. Too scared of death to accept my fate with pride. So given the chance, I clung to the first thing to give me a reason to continue." she added.

"Do you regret your choice?" Sanzo asked her. Yuai flinched before she looked up at him, her eyes wide in the dark, what little light from the moon that shined through the clouds, reflecting in her eyes. "I regret a lot of things, Sanzo, but I could never, _**never**_ regret him." she told him.

By 'him' Sanzo assumed she was talking about the man that her oath concerned. "I may have wished for death at one point, no matter how painful it was, but…until he is truly happy, until he has what he's looking for, I will cling to this life." she told him as she looked away.

"As I said…I have my reasons." she added. Sanzo thought that over. "Is he really that important?" he asked gruffly. A faint smile curved Yuai's lips. "Yes, he is. He was the only light, when I was lost in the dark. He deserves everything that I can't have. It's the least I can do." Yuai replied.

Silence fell between the two before Yuai looked up at him. "Sanzo." she said softly. "Say something stupid and I'll kill you." he warned her. Yuai smiled a bit more. "Its not your fault you know." she told him. Sanzo's head snapped around so he could look at her.

She met his eyes squarely. "Whatever it is that you feel so guilty about, that drives you to be broody all night when it rains…its wasn't your fault. Deny it all you want, but you really are a good, kind hearted person." she told him giving him a soft, if not sad, smile.

Sanzo stared at her for a moment before finally looking away snuffing out his cigarette in the ashtray he had brought with him. He wanted to curse her for being able to pick up on his feelings like she did. She acute that was for sure.

He was silent for a moment, only the sound of the rain sounding around them. For a moment he listen to the rain as he replayed her words in his head. When he spoke it was enough to put a true smile on the girl's face, lighting her dark features.

"See that was stupid….now I have to kill you." he told her. A small laugh sounded from the girl, putting a small, faint smile on Sanzo's own face. "Just promise you skim Gojyo with the shot." she told him. "Deal." Sanzo replied as he lit another cigarette.

He got to his feet to finish his brooding in the inn's lounge downstairs. "You might want to come in before you get sick though." he told her. "Is that concern, my monk friend?" she asked over her shoulder. "Die." was Sanzo's only reply.

END:

Kyandi: Sanzo really is a gloomy person.

Yuai: He's not so bad.

Kyandi: That you had to say he's not so bad, proves he's bad.

Yuai: How?

Kyandi: …Just drop it.

Yuai: Okay.

Kyandi: Anyway enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	11. Returning Nightmares

Kyandi: Wow, we're back!

Yuai: This makes the third chapter today, right?

Kyandi: Yep! And with another possible two on the way.

Yuai: You really do get going when you're bored.

Kyandi: I can't help it.

Yuai: Then lets move on.

Kyandi: Right. Enjoy and review!

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 11 Returning Nightmares

Thankfully the rain had cleared out by early morning, the rain heavy clouds clearing away in the early dawn light, leaving the next day sunny, if not muddy. When Hakkai woke up he was surprised to find Yuai, as well as Goku, still asleep.

It was usual for Goku to still be asleep. It was almost impossible to get the boy up in the morning unless you had food on hand. Then he woke up very quickly and nearly took out whoever had the food. But usually Yuai was up before them all already getting things together and starting breakfast if they were camping out. It usually cut Hakkai's duties down by half and for that he was very grateful for the girl.

Yet, despite that little fact, when he woke up in the morning and looked across the room he found Sanzo and Gojyo sitting at the table having a smoke by the window, while Goku and Yuai were still asleep. Hakkai got to his feet and walked over to the bed.

Goku was sprawled on his back, limbs thrown every which way and sheet kicked off, snoring, as he usually did whether he was in a bed or not, while Yuai was curled into a tight ball on one side, resembling Kokoro when she slept.

Hakkai was actually a little amused to see the girl sleeping curled in a ball like the small cat like creature that was her Koken'nin. It was actually a little cute to look at her like that. Almost like the girl herself was part cat.

Said Koken'nin was curled up on her mistress's side with Hakkaryuu, the two raising and falling as Yuai breathed. Yuai had her arms wrapped around her thighs pulling her knees closer to her face, her hair sprawled out around her like a white sheet.

She looked cute but what caught Hakkai's attention was the dried tear tracks that marked the girl's cheeks. Had she been crying in her sleep? It must have been a scary dream to make her cry like that. Or a sad one.

"She was up half the night because of the rain." came Sanzo's voice drawing Hakkai's attention to the monk. "Because of the rain?" Hakkai asked. Usually he and Sanzo were the ones that had a problem with the rain. He didn't know Yuai did too.

"She woke up a little after the rest of us went to sleep. The moment the storm started. She bolted up in bed, shaking from a bad dream. She didn't go back to sleep until well after the storm ended." Sanzo told Hakkai from behind a newspaper.

A bad dream that had her shaking? That would explain the tear tracks on her face. A nightmare that scared her into jumping nearly out of her skin. "Its not surprising." Gojyo remarked with a yawn. Hakkai looked at his friend.

"She's been having them for a while now. She bolts up, sweating and hyperventilating and then can't sleep for a while." Gojyo remarked. Hakkai looked back at the girl. "She hasn't said anything." Hakkai remarked.

"I caught her a while back and asked her about it." Gojyo told him. "All she said was that it was just bad memories playing over and over in her dreams." Gojyo added. Hakkai watched Yuai's face as she slept. He knew how she felt.

Waking up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep because of memories haunting the dreams that should have offered escape from those memories. It was an awful way to spend a night.

Maybe he should talk to her. Maybe she might be willing to open up a bit more and allow him to offer her the same comfort and acceptance she offered them. Maybe. It certainly didn't hurt to try. The most she would do was say no.

A loud snort like snore snapped Hakkai out of his thoughts as Goku suddenly flopped over in his sleep, invading Yuai's side of the bed before giving a mighty kick….into Yuai's backside. The young girl flew out of the bed, into Hakkai, letting out a loud epp, sending Kokoro and Hakkaryuu flying to the floor as she did.

Hakkai was knocked off his feet as the girl hit him right in the gut. Hakkai landed on his butt, Yuai sprawled in his lap. "Ow, ow, ow!" Yuai said as she rubbed her lower back. "Goku! Why did you do that!?" Yuai asked looking at Goku who was sitting up in the bed blinking sleepily at them all.

Goku gave her a big sleepy grin before flopping back on the bed, now taking Yuai's pillows. "Are you alright?" Hakkai asked her looking down at her as she continued to rub her back. "I'd be better if he hadn't just planted the heel of his foot in the lower part of my spine." Yuai told him.

Hakkai held back a chuckle. It was funny to say the least , but then again he couldn't laugh at her when her backside was hurting. "And I had just fallen to sleep not too long ago." she added pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes.

Hakkai's smile faltered but before he could say anything to her she turned and headed for his bed. "Hakkai, I'm stealing your bed." she told him before dropping face first onto the bed, instantly wrapping her arms around the pillow and burying her face in it.

With a big sigh she sank into the bed and was soon asleep once more. At this Hakkai had to chuckle. "I'd want to steal your bed too if the Monkey had just kicked me in the tailbone." Gojyo said with a laugh of his own.

Hakkai smiled as he walked over to the bed pulling the blanket up to cover her. She seemed better now that she had woken up from the nightmare once. Maybe she wouldn't have another one. Just in case he would keep an eye on her as she slept.

Thankfully she didn't seem to have any more nightmares, though if Hakkai had caught her in the midst of one those nightmares then she would have to tell him what they were about. She wouldn't be able to avoid it.

But he had no such luck. For the rest of the day though, Yuai was distant, withdrawn, off in her own little world. She didn't even notice when Goku talked to her and she usually always replied to Goku if no one else. Hakkai had a feeling that whatever the dream had been about, it had really shaken the girl bad. But just what was it?

-0-0-0-0-

"_I love your hands. You have such beautiful fingers. Is it weird to describe a man as beautiful?" A bloody scene, a flash of lightning, the roar of rain in the back ground. "I'm sorry, my love, but its too late for that."_

Hakkai jolted awake, staring up at the night sky above them. It was another one of their nights camping out and he had fallen asleep sitting in the driver seat of the jeep. Sanzo was leaning on his arm, sound asleep beside him.

In the back Goku was sprawled out across Gojyo, while Yuai, as usual was sleeping on the ground in the protective circle of Kokoro's body. Hakkai heaved a sigh as he held his hands up to look at them. It looked like Yuai's bad dreams episode was being passed on to Hakkai.

"A dream. And I thought I'd forgotten that whole nasty episode." Hakkai said quietly before pushing himself up out of the seat to take a short walk. He didn't stop to look at Yuai or any of the others either. He just walked off, not really paying attention to anything.

As he walked the words of the old fortune teller came ringing back to his head. "_And a scar on your belly_." Hakkai pulled the Mahjong tile that had come from the shikigami out of his pocket and looked at the symbol for sin on it.

"Ever since I've met that old geezer, my past wound has started to ache again. He obviously blames me for what happened, but why does he keep playing games like this?" Hakkai asked himself as he put the tile away.

His attention then turned to his hands. "With her blood on my hands I can't allow myself to ever love anyone again." he remarked. He stared at his hand remembering what Kanan always use to say about his hand.

Then a flash of a scene played in his mind. A scene of Yuai wrapping his hand in bandages. "_I was just thinking…you have beautiful hands. Beautiful fingers."_ Her words were so close to Kanan's that it was no wonder she flashed into his mind at the moment.

But now that he thought of it, he knew why the cross in Yuai's hair seemed so familiar. Kanan had worn a cross too and seeing Yuai wear one had reminded him of the one that Kanan had worn. The girl was so much like Kanan in some ways that it was no wonder he got along with her so well.

"Now that….is one short life line." Hakkai jumped not expecting to hear Gojyo's voice. "Ah! You scared me!" Hakkai exclaimed. "Whoa, that should be my line. I can't believe how easy it was to sneak up on ya." Gojyo replied.

The two stared at each other before Hakkai corrected himself. "Okay dude, so which one is the life line?" Hakkai asked holding up his hand. "That one right there." Gojyo said pointing to a line in Hakkai's palm. Hakkai held up his hand to look at it.

"Oh, you're right. It is short." Hakkai remarked. "See. Mine go all the way down to the wrist." Gojyo told him holding up his own hands. Hakkai chuckled and slowly it died off. "Did you wake up to tell me that?" Hakkai asked.

"Nah, not really. I just wanted to get a good look at that gloomy face of your's." Gojyo told him. Silence fell over the two as they both fell into their own faults. The night air sent a breeze through the trees, rustling the leaves.

"So the seer…that's what this is about?" Gojyo asked. Hakkai gave a grim smile as he bowed his head. "Yes its Chin Yisou ." Hakkai replied. No sooner had he said that a voice called out. "Hello! Hello, hello, Cho Gouou, you will die!"

Hakkai and Gojyo turned as a little doll came walking towards them holding another mahjong piece in it's hands. "You die!" it called happily. "Why does that toy call you by your old name?" Gojyo asked as Hakkai looked at the Mahjong piece in the doll's hands.

"It says hate." Hakkai said. "Chin Yisou." Hakkai added. "You are very bad man, Cho Gouou! That is why you shall never know piece in this life. Or any other. That's because you are big, fat, blastimer." the doll said. "Listen here, ya little block head, let me remind you, your flammable." Gojyo told the toy.

"I think I understand what you're trying to say." Hakkai said making Gojyo look up at the dark look on his face. "But if you have unfinished business with me, why not speak to me face to face, like a man?" Hakkai asked.

"Yes, those are the eyes I know. Show us your true face, Cho Gouou." the doll said. "Dolls aren't suppose to speak and hold conversations like that." Hakkai and Gojyo looked up to find Yuai walking towards them.

"And you! You are a very disobedient girl, Yu-Yu!" the doll said making the three turn to look at the doll. Yuai grimaced as the doll's head rocked to the side so sightless eyes could look at her. Her fist clenched at her sides.

"Very, very bad girl! You shall be punished for your sin, Yu-yu! For all the blood that stains your skin! For that you will never know peace or love! Hahahahahaha!" the doll said cackling. Yuai was froze on her spot, her wide eyes set on the doll. All of the color drained from her face.

"That's it!" Gojyo snapped giving a mighty kick and sending the doll flying back into a tree. "Ya should have stayed in your box!" Gojyo snapped. "Come on, Hakkai, Yuai." Gojyo added turning to leave. "I've had enough of this toy." Gojyo added as Hakkai turned to follow him, but Yuai was still watching the doll.

When it turned it's head towards them and opened its mouth, Yuai turned. "Gojyo!" she exclaimed. Hakkai turned to see the glow that announced that the doll was about to shoot something out of its mouth. "Hey Gojyo, look out!" Hakkai yelled.

Gojyo turned in time for the doll to shoot him right in the chest. "Gojyo!" Hakkai yelled. "Hahahaha! That's what you get!" the doll called. "You little….jerk." Gojyo squeezed out before he fell. Yuai shot forward to catch Gojyo as he fell.

She sat him down gently. "Hakkai, what's happening!?" Hakkai turned to see Sanzo, Goku, Hakkaryuu and Kokoro heading towards them. "I'm not sure!" Hakkai replied. Yuai sat back watching as, first, the veins around the wound turned purple and bulged and slowly the effect spread to all the veins in Gojyo's body.

"G-get it…out, get it out!" Gojyo said voice clenched in pain. "Wh-what's happening?" Goku asked as the other three males crowded around Gojyo. "I don't know." Sanzo breathed.

"It's a seed. A living seed taking root in his veins that lives on blood. He's a goner!" the doll exclaimed. Goku and Sanzo turned to look at the doll "Who the hell is the midget?" Goku asked. "One of Chin Yisou's messengers." Hakkai replied.

"Not him again." Sanzo grumbled. "Tick tock, tick tock. The clock is ticking. Not much time left for you to save your friend. The seed is buried snuggly next to his heart. What will you do Cho Gouou, what will you do?" the doll asked.

"Enough…What is it that you want?" Sanzo asked. "Hahahaha! What fun! I really like this game! Lets play again real soon Cho Gouou! You too Yu-Yu!" the doll cackled. Before the doll could say another thing Sanzo shot it.

"So that's what this is about. You know for a puppet he has quite a sense of humor." Sanzo said. "Sanzo?" Hakkai asked. Yuai looked up from Gojyo. "Goku…hold down Gojyo's arms." Sanzo told Goku. "Wha? Okay." Goku said confused by the order by he did it none the less. Yuai looked up at Sanzo with wide eyes.

"Sanzo?" she asked, worried. "Are you happy now, old man? Isn't this what you wanted?" Sanzo asked, raising his voice, turning his gun on Gojyo. Yuai's eyes grew even wider. "Sanzo! What are you doing?" Goku asked.

"Hakkai get ready to close Gojyo's wound." Sanzo ordered. "Are you nuts!? The target is so small. Its too close to the heart. You're going to end up killing him!" Hakkai exclaimed. "You can't shoot him!" Yuai exclaimed from beside Gojyo.

"I guess I shouldn't miss." Sanzo replied. "I'm a good aim. If he dies then its because he has a weak heart." Sanzo added. Gojyo tried speaking but the pain made his words clipped. "Close that mouth, or you might bite your tongue." Sanzo told Gojyo before he pulled the trigger. Yuai jumped more out of shock that Sanzo had actually shot Gojyo then anything.

Hakkai hurried forward to close the wound. When he was done he sat back. "I think I've closed the wound. He's still unconscious but his pulse is normal." Hakkai said. "That makes one of us." Goku remarked.

Yuai silently agreed with Goku. She was gripping her chest over her heart, her own heart racing as she shook lightly. "This is all my fault, isn't it?" Hakkai remarked. Yuai looked at his back as Sanzo and Goku turned to him too.

"I seem to be the one that Chin Yisou wants so badly." Hakkai added. "That's enough." Sanzo told him. "Its not just you." Sanzo added looking at Yuai who was staring at the ground. "So that's enough." Sanzo added.

"It's not!" Hakkai snapped jumping to his feet. "Shut up!" Sanzo snapped back. "You listen to me!" Hakkai yelled at Sanzo who just grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Now cool it! If you lose it now that would be exactly what Chin Yisou wants you to do!" Sanzo yelled back.

Yuai on the other hand was still staring at the ground her eyes wide. Her thoughts were racing every which way and she couldn't think straight. She was lost in her own little world and didn't know what to do.

When Goku jumped to his feet Yuai looked up noticing Hakkai had passed out. She was on her feet in a second. "Quickly bring water!" Sanzo told Goku. "Right away! Come on Hakkaryuu!" Goku said taking off to do as told.

"Kokoro go with them." Yuai told the Koken'nin who bounded after Goku. Yuai turned back to Hakkai. "I was wondering why you haven't been getting much sleep lately, friend." Sanzo said more to the unconscious Hakkai then to Yuai.

Sanzo stared at Hakkai's face before his eyes went to Yuai. She was knelling next to him, her eyes on Hakkai's face. She was shaking slightly and she looked like she was close to losing it herself. However Yuai played into all of this, it was clear she was terrified by it and if the girl was scared that much, then whatever it was, it wasn't good.

END

Kyandi: And Yuai's scared.

Yuai: Can you blame me?

Kyandi: Since I know your past…..no.

Yuai: Exactly.

Kyandi: Since I bet you're all dying to know what Yuai has to do with this, we'll move on.

Yuai: Please enjoy and review. And we'll be back shortly.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	12. Yuai's True Horror

Kyandi: And we're back again.

Yuai: I don't really have anything to say.

Kyandi: Neither do I really.

Yuai: Then why don't we move on.

Kyandi: Right!

Yuai: Please enjoy and review.

Kyandi: I do not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 12 Yuai's True Horror

Hakkai's dreams centered on that day he had come home to find Kanan missing and when he awoke he was staring at a cave ceiling. "You awake?" Hakkai turned his head to see Sanzo at the cave opening, newspaper in hand.

"Where am I?" Hakkai asked. "We're still in the forest. You've slept half the day away." Sanzo told him. "Have I?" Hakkai asked idly. "Do you have any idea who that damn fortune teller is? Yuai obviously knows him, and he has her terrified so much she shaking." Sanzo said.

"No. But he knows about my past." Hakkai said sitting up, instantly looking for the white haired girl. "And you're old name too." Sanzo supplied. "Yes. And apparently he can sure hold a grudge." Hakkai remarked.

Sanzo didn't even look up from the paper in his hands. He didn't need to, to know the look on Hakkai's face. "You know I've heard rumors that there are survivors of Hyakugan's old clan, my friend." Sanzo remarked.

"Hyakugan….I thought for sure I had killed ever last one of those monsters." Hakkai remarked. "You should have made sure." Sanzo replied. "Funny thing for a monk to say." Sanzo and Hakkai looked up as Gojyo appeared at the cave entrance.

"No luck?" Sanzo asked Gojyo. Gojyo flapped his hand in dismissal. "Nah. The fog's way to thick." Gojyo replied. "I can't seem to find them anywhere." he added. "What is it?" Hakkai asked but neither looked like they wanted to answer.

"Goku!? Yuai!?" Hakkai asked fear spiking up in him. "Has something happened to them!?" he asked. "They both seem to have disappeared." Sanzo replied.

"We haven't seen Goku since he went to fetch some water after you collapsed. Kokoro and Hakkaryuu went with him. Yuai went off to find him shortly after and she hasn't come back either." Sanzo added.

Hakkai made to get up but Gojyo pushed him back down, a hand on his head. "You stay right here. You're the one the bastard wants." Gojyo snapped at him as Hakkai glared at him. "So you expect me to just sit here while people get hurt because of me!?" Hakkai asked as Gojyo glared back.

"He wants Yuai too in case you haven't noticed and now she's missing!" Hakkai added. "Have you ever heard the saying, "Embrace nothing."?" Hakkai and Gojyo looked at Sanzo as he got up and walked to the opening of the cave.

"If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Only live your life as it is. Not bound to anything. That is what my master taught me." Sanzo told them.

"That is the reason I continued you kill everyone who stands in my way. And it doesn't matter whose enemy they happen to be. Now if you understand that get a hold of yourself. I don't need any excess baggage." Sanzo said looking at the other two.

Hakkai hung his head. "Got it." he said. Gojyo left Hakkai to get himself back together and stepped outside with Sanzo. "So what are we going to do?" Gojyo asked. "About what?" Sanzo asked. "The monkey, man. The monkey! And Yuai." Gojyo replied.

"The fog isn't lifting and there's still no sign of Goku or Yuai. We can't get a break." Sanzo said. "I feel like we're following someone else's script. I don't like it." Gojyo remarked. "If he gets any one of us, he wins." Sanzo added.

"I ain't dying." Gojyo said firmly. "And I tell ya, I super hate to lose." he added. "Don't say super." Sanzo told him. "What should I say, hella hate?" Gojyo smarted off. The sound of approaching footsteps made the two turn to see Goku running towards them.

"Oh! There you are!" Goku called happily. "I thought I got left behind!" he added with a goofy grin. "Goku…" Sanzo said looking at the boy. "You stupid monkey!" Gojyo snapped as he charged past Sanzo to give Goku a piece of his mind.

Sanzo watched the two fight. Something wasn't right. "Goku! You're okay!" Hakkai said hurrying past Sanzo to Goku. "Thank goodness." Hakkai said laying his hands on Goku's shoulders. "Please don't worry us like that." Hakkai told him.

Goku nodded. "Right. Sorry." Goku told him. "Hey." Sanzo called. Goku looked up at Sanzo. "What happened to Hakkaryuu and Kokoro?" Sanzo asked looking down at Goku. "Sorry, we got separated along the way." Goku told him.

"And Yuai?" Sanzo asked. "I don't know. Didn't see her. No problem. We'll find them when the fog lifts." Goku said tugging on Sanzo's shoulder. "Anyways let's get outta this creepy forest already." Goku added.

Goku was never this easy to let it slide when it was Yuai in trouble. The girl was basically like his sister. "Goku." Sanzo said making the boy stop and turn to look at him…and look down the barrel of Sanzo's gun.

"S-Sanzo…what's wrong? What's going on here?" Goku asked. "What are you doing?" Gojyo asked. "Sanzo….hey, Sanzo…w-what's wrong Sanzo?" Goku asked. "It's not you. It's the dumbass ape who called me." Sanzo replied.

"I-it's me, Sanzo!" Goku insisted. "Let me tell you something. The only one allowed to call my name that lightly…is that dumbass ape." Sanzo told him before he fired the gun. The three watched as the doll turned to sand before them.

"Come on out, Chin Yisou! The esteemed Lord Sanzo's really pissed off now." Gojyo called out. Low laughter made them turn to where Chin Yisou was sitting on a boulder his legs crossed and chin in hand.

"That was my best doll too. How did you know?" Chin Yisou asked. "You should do your homework." Gojyo remarked. "He didn't say he was hungry once." Sanzo added. "And Goku would never let it blow over if he thought Yuai was in danger for even a moment." Hakkai added.

"'I'm hungry" is it? How intricate." Chin Yisou said. "Where's Goku? And Yuai?" Sanzo asked. "Well, what do you think? Are they wandering around in this fog? Or are they dead?" Chin Yisou remarked. Sanzo fired a shot that hit the ground just to the side of Chin Yisou.

"The next one won't miss. Where is Goku and Yuai?" Sanzo asked. "My goodness, what a short tempered person. Short on calcium, perhaps?" Chin Yisou asked. "Hurry up and fire. That is, if you can." he added before snapping his fingers.

All three looked down at centipedes covered them from shoulders down. "What the hell!?" Gojyo asked. "Centipedes?" Hakkai asked. "Demon King Hyakugan was a centipedes demon. Move too much and they'll bite and poison you. Being bitten by that many could well prove life threatening." Chin Yisou said as he came to a stop in front of Hakkai grabbing him by the chin to make him look up at him.

"Not enough hatred? Well then get a good look at the face…of the son of the man who raped and impregnated your woman!" Chin Yisou told Hakkai, watching as his eyes went wide with remembrance. "Did you plan to take revenge by killing my entire clan? Or was it a sense of justice, protecting humans?" Chin Yisou asked as he slapped Hakkai across the face repeatedly.

"Not that I don't like your heroic hypocrisy though." Chin Yisou added kicking Hakkai in the stomach. "But only that idiocy and blood thirst of your's will satisfy my heart." Chin Yisou said as he looked down at Hakkai.

"Don't say another word. You're hurting my ears." Sanzo remarked drawing Chin Yisou's attention to him. "Let me tell you two of the top three things I hate." Sanzo added. "By all means enlighten me." Chin Yisou told him. "Perverts and insects!" Sanzo snapped using his sutra to repel the bugs.

While Chin Yisou was blinded Gojyo attacked shattering Chin Yisou's right arm. "Look here you've manage to piss me off. And I'm usually such a nice guy." Gojyo remarked. "Hey, you okay, Hakkai?" Sanzo asked Hakkai who was spacing out.

"Hakkai…who's that?" Hakkai muttered. Gojyo grabbed Hakkai by the shoulder and shook him. "Yo! Get a grip! You're Cho Hakkai got it!" Gojyo snapped. "I-I'm okay." Hakkai told him. Just then Chin Yisou grabbed Gojyo by the chin yanking him back.

"That attack hurt." Chin Yisou told them. Sanzo pointed his gun at him. "Go ahead , shoot just like the last time. Will you aim for the chest again?" Chin Yisou asked getting to Hakkai. A loud yell had all four men looking up. Chin Yisou jumped away from Gojyo as Goku landed in a sprawled out form.

"Sorry about that." Goku said. "Goku! You're late!" Gojyo snapped going up to Goku and kicking him. "I couldn't help it! My leg's broken! Plus, I'm hungry! This sucks!" Goku replied as Hakkaryuu and Kokoro showed up as well.

"That's the real one." Gojyo remarked. "That couldn't be anybody but Goku." Hakkai agreed. "Hey." Goku looked up at Sanzo. "You dumbass ape!" Sanzo snapped as he hit Goku with a paper fan. "What was that for?" Goku asked.

"What?" Sanzo replied. "You know what!" Goku snapped. "He won't say it but he missed him." Gojyo remarked. Chin Yisou's laughter drew all of their attention once more. "Sanzo something's not right with him. He doesn't smell alive." Goku remarked.

The wheels started turning in Hakkai's head as more of that day when Kanan died came back to him. He was sure, absolutely positive that he had killed Chin Yisou before. "I've had my fun with the red haired man and the golden eyed boy. Next is…" Chin Yisou threw more of his little darts pins at Sanzo who caught them easily.

"Cause next time he really is going to lose some of his little play buddies." Chin Yisou remarked with his trade mark grin in place on his face. "Just try it." was Sanzo's reply. "Hey you dirty old bastard." Chin Yisou turned to Goku.

"You just try to do something to Sanzo." Goku growled. "My compliments. Your pet is quite a loyal companion I have to say." Chin Yisou said. "Goku stand back." Sanzo yelled to the boy.

"He howls too much for my taste." Chin Yisou added throwing more of his pin darts landing them in Goku's broken leg. "Awful lot of bark for a mutt who can barely stand on his own two paws." Chin Yisou remarked as Goku howled in pain.

"Dude…you really have a broken leg?" Gojyo asked. "I told you that already!" Goku snapped. "Now where were we." Chin Yisou turned to Hakkai and Sanzo. "Chin Yisou!" A yell made Chin Yisou turn in time to get knocked clear off his feet by a bloody fist.

The impact was hard enough to make Chin Yisou fly through a couple of boulders. It defiantly would have been enough to break bones. All four males of the Sanzo party turned to find Yuai, bloody, battered, and absolutely livid.

She had blood from various injuries all over her body, some deep, others shallow, though only one, that was coated in ice and went from the valley between her breast over her left shoulder, looked life threatening. She had probably put the ice there to keep herself from bleeding out.

With her shirt ripped and useless she had tied her shawl around her like a shirt, double knotting it. Her hair had come free of her tie and fell in a solid white sheet around her, blood staining parts red.

Though she looked bloody, tattered, and beaten senseless, she had a cold, absolutely livid expression on her face that sent a chill down the spine of every male present. "If you thought you were done with me, you're sadly mistaken, Chin Yisou." she told him as she stood up straight.

Chin Yisou laughed as he got back to his feet. "Already escaped my pets, little Yu-Yu?" he asked as he looked at her. "Shame, I was hoping they would keep you busy long enough for me to finish with your friends. Then we could play again as we use to." Chin Yisou remarked. The others watched as Yuai shivered her fist at her side clenching more.

"Yuai…what is he talking about?" Goku asked. Yuai's eyes darted to them and then back to Chin Yisou. She didn't say anything. "Come now, Yu-Yu, secrets don't make friends. Then again I suppose in your case they do. Why, how else would you ever find another soul willing to tolerate you let alone like you. If they knew how damaged you truly were." Chin Yisou remarked looking at Yuai.

Hakkai watched as Yuai's head hung. "If they knew they wouldn't stand beside you. How you screamed." Yuai flinched. "And cried." Another flinch. "How you became so damaged that you don't feel anything at all." Chin Yisou finished Yuai giving the biggest flinch yet.

Her friends looked between the two. "Though you deserved it. After all the pain and death you caused. After all the blood that was spilt because of y-" Chin Yisou was cut off by Yuai, his grin falling away.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Yuai screeched. All five males stared at her. Yuai had never really raised her voice, except to call to her friends. To hear her out right screech…they were surprised. Yuai's eyes came up to land on Chin Yisou.

"You do not know what you are talking about." she told him. Chin Yisou's grin only grew. "My, my Yu-Yu, still playing denial are we?" Chin Yisou said before turning to her friends, his eyes on Hakkai. "I see she's never told you. Ironic, since she was there that night." Chin Yisou said Hakkai's expression slowing dawning on remembrance of what Chin Yisou was saying.

"She was there, watching the night you kill my cl-" Chin Yisou was cut off as a fist slammed into the rock face just an inch from his face. The fist in question was attached to a livid Yuai. Everyone's eyes turned to Yuai's face though her expression was hidden from her friends by her hair.

"Shut up." Yuai told Chin Yisou. "Yuai…is he telling the truth?" Hakkai asked the girl who froze on the spot not looking at him. Chin Yisou chuckled. "You really haven't told him? My, my. You are very deceiving, Little Yu-Yu." he told the girl.

In a flash Chin Yisou reached out grabbing the girl by her hair and yanking her off balance. "Yuai!" Hakkai called but froze on the spot as Chin Yisou yanked her hair back, revealing the right side of her neck which had always stayed hidden behind her hair.

Curling up the right side of her neck from her shoulder was more of the detailed scars that curled inward in a spiraling formation until it reached a delicately carved 'CY' in the middle. "She never told you that for a year, she was my little toy. Oh how her screams were very calming, like a lullaby for my soul." Chin Yisou told them his free hand tracing the 'CY' on her neck.

Yuai froze, going board stiff under his touch. Hakkai could see the fear, which had been carved into her so long ago, showing in the stiffness of every muscle in her body. She was terrified being in that position with the man who had tortured her for a year, right behind her.

"You're the one that put the scars on her." Sanzo stated more then asked. "Aren't they just lovely. She has the perfect skin for it. It took so long to do all of it. Hours, upon hours of carving the designs, of her screaming herself horse." Chin Yisou said fondly as he traced one swirl.

Yuai tried yanking free but Chin Yisou pulled her back by her hair. Gojyo and Goku were pissed both ready to skin the man alive for ever laying a hand on the girl. "And she was there that night, watching from a cell as you came for your human lover." Chin Yisou added.

Another piece of that night flash before Hakkai as the memory replayed itself. Him walking through the basement looking from one cell to the other in search of Kanan. All were empty except for the one before Kanan's.

In this one, was a little girl. Small, thin, bloody from her waist up. Her hair, which had been snow white at one time, was dyed red with blood and chopped off short like some one had grabbed her by the hair and cut it off crudely with a knife.

She lay on her stomach, her back, under the tattered remains of her shirt, a bloody mess. As he passed by dull, empty silver eyes looked up at him from a face to sunken in for the child to have been fed properly. Looking at Yuai now, in her healthy, happy state as she smiled and laughed with him and their friends, it was no wonder he hadn't connected the two. She looked nothing like she had back then.

"Stop!" Yuai snapped really trying to pull free now. "Why, Yu-Yu? You don't want him knowing that it was you that dragged him from that castle? That it was you that warned him of my presence?" Chin Yisou asked.

Hakkai's eyes snapped to Yuai but she wouldn't look at him. "Let go of her, you bastard!" Goku growled. Chin Yisou only chuckled. "Kokoro, sick him!" came Yuai voice. Chin Yisou looked up as Kokoro, now in her larger form, attacked him.

He released the girl in his hold letting her fall to her knees as he jumped away from the attacking Koken'nin who moved to stand over her mistress, guarding her. Yuai didn't move from where she was now sitting under Kokoro's belly. She stayed there, staring at the ground as Hakkai sent Chin Yisou flying with a Chi Dong blast.

"Yuai?" Yuai flinched as Hakkai called her name. She refused to move out from under Kokoro making the man knell down to look under the Koken'nin at her. The girl had her head bowed, her hair hiding her face.

"Yuai." he called again. "I didn't tell you, because I didn't want you to hate me. I was sure if you knew I had been there you'd hate me for living when the woman you came to find didn't." came her low, shaking voice.

Hakkai was shocked by the sudden admittance. "I didn't want you to hate me because, no matter what else you did that night, you saved me. You set me free and saved me from the hell that my life had become." she added still not looking up at him.

Hakkai stared at her for a moment before looking back at the others who were watching from a distance, giving the two space. Hakkai turned back to Yuai. "I don't hate you, Yuai." he told her.

Yuai looked up then, her wide eyes betraying her stone mask. Her face was expressionless but her eyes said it all. She was scared, and just as much hurt by her past as he was at the moment. He wasn't the only one suffering at the moment with the sudden assault of his past.

She was suffering just as much, only hers left her more terrified then he could ever be. But it wasn't fear of Chin Yisou. "I don't hate you. I never could." he assured her with a smile. But Yuai didn't look convinced at all.

"You're too nice, Hakkai. He's more right then you know." Yuai said her head hanging again. "I don't deserve your kindness and I won't ask you for it or for you to understand this, so please don't argue." she added. Hakkai stared at her.

He wanted to argue, more then he had ever before. She was wrong and he knew it. He knew he wasn't nice, but she was. Yuai was sweet, supportive, and comforting to all of them, not just him. "Hakkai, let's go." Sanzo called.

Hakkai looked at Sanzo and then back at Yuai who was still staring at the ground. "Gojyo, Goku, keep an eye on her." Hakkai told his two friends before running off after Sanzo. He would fix this after they no longer had a psycho killer after them.

END

Kyandi: This part made me sad.

Yuai: ….how do you think I feel?

Kyandi: Awful. I'm sorry!

Yuai: Just move on, silly.

Kyandi: Right! So everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back again soon.

Kyandi: Bye-bye!


	13. Ending Of A Nightmare

Kyandi: Hey everyone!

Yuai: We have a new chapter for you!

Kyandi: Yep. This chapter though is going to be switching between Hakkai and Sanzo's point of view and Yuai, Gojyo, and Goku's. Two separate groups.

Yuai: Just so you all know and don't get confused.

Kyandi: Right. So with that I guess we should just jump on in to it. Right?

Yuai: Right.

Kyandi: Okay then. So everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 13 Ending Of A Nightmare

"Have we lost sight of him?" Hakkai asked looking around. Sanzo glanced around them. "No, that's not it." Sanzo told him. "Chin Yisou, you're going to kill me, right!? You better not miss!" Sanzo called out. There was no reply.

"He's sure to be around here somewhere. Right now his goal is to kill me right before your eyes." Sanzo told Hakkai. The two were keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. "That's not all." Hakkai remarked, making Sanzo look at him. "His goal is to destroy me, but that's not all. He wants Yuai too." Hakkai added. "I don't know why but I won't let him lay a finger on her." he said in a low voice.

Hakkai could remember it all clearly now. Kanan had taken her life and there, in the cell next to hers, a small figure watched Hakkai with lifeless eyes, not moving nor speaking. Then her eyes flashed. "B…behind you…." came the smallest of voices. That was right. She had warned him of Chin Yisou's approach.

Hakkai couldn't believe that that small, lifeless, bloody, and fear filled girl was the same person as the brightly smiling Yuai he knew. "I know he died that night. But there's no mistaking those eyes. They're the same as then." Hakkai said lowly to himself. "And there's no mistaking…he's the man Yuai fears the most. The one who haunts her dreams." he added looking down at his hands.

Sanzo leaned back against a tree, lighting a cigarette. Hakkai looked at him. "Sanzo." he said. "What is it? Ask me something stupid, and I'll kill you." Sanzo replied. Hakkai let out a small, sheepish laugh. "Then maybe I'd better not." he replied.

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Sanzo asked. Silence fell between the two as Hakkai thought. "Is it really alright for me to be here?" Hakkai asked at last. Sanzo was quiet for a moment before he replied. "See that was stupid. Now I have to kill you." he replied.

"Is that so?" Hakkai asked looking down at the ground. Sanzo glanced at the other man. "You wouldn't betray me. Am I right?" Sanzo asked. Hakkai gave a faint smile. "You never play fair." he remarked. "How could I betray you after what you just said?" Hakkai asked.

"As for Yuai…she's strong. She may be scared right now, but she's not fragile." Sanzo remarked. "Besides….she's more scared of you hating her then of this bastard." Sanzo added. Hakkai turned to look at Sanzo. Before Hakkai could reply they both looked up.

"He's here." Sanzo remarked just before there was a rain of Chin Yisou's small spikes. The two jumped out of the way. "Above!" Sanzo said the two looking up. "Are you done with your final little chat?" Chin Yisou asked from his perch on a branch above their heads.

"I've had enough of your games!" Sanzo snapped. "Is that so? Then please allow me to take up a little of your time." Chin Yisou replied. "I'll end this shortly. And then I will play with Yu-Yu." he added.

-0-0-0-0-

"Yuai wait up!" Gojyo called after the young girl as she ran through the trees. She couldn't slow down. Her whole body was screaming from pain, yelling at her to stop but she couldn't. She had to find Hakkai and Sanzo before Chin Yisou could hurt a hair on either of their heads.

She would never forgive herself if she couldn't do more to help them. Though every bone in her body screamed for her to stop, she wouldn't. Not yet. She could collapse later when she was sure Chin Yisou was dead once and for all and Hakkai, Sanzo, Gojyo, and Goku were all safe.

"I can't. I can't slow down or wait!" she called back to Gojyo and Goku. Her voice was a higher pitch then it usually was. "I can't stand by while he hurts them." she added.

Gojyo and Goku glanced at each other, Goku riding on Gojyo's shoulders. It was clear to the both of them that Yuai was in pain. Some of her injuries were still bleeding and the one she had covered in ice was starting to bleed past the ice and was staining her shawl red.

"I know how you feel, Yuai, but killing yourself won't help." Gojyo told her. Yuai didn't respond. "Hakkai's the one I'm worried about. His mental state." Gojyo added. Goku looked down at Gojyo. "Hakkai will be alright." he said.

"He said that as long as there are people who believe in him, he won't die." Goku explained. Yuai glanced over her shoulder. "So he'll be alright." Goku said finally. Yuai stared ahead of her. The three were quiet for a while before Gojyo caught up to Yuai.

"Alright, let's pick up pace." he said smiling down at Yuai. Yuai nodded. "Right!" she agreed. Chin Yisou had been the bane of her existence, her continuing nightmare, for years. She was able to deal with it. But she would not allow him to now, nor ever, harm her friends. That was where the nightmare would end.

-0-0-0-0-

"Cho Gonou, you killed my entire clan, all for just one woman." Chin Yisou said landing before Hakkai and Sanzo. "I lost my whole clan and my even father at your hands." Chin Yisou added. "So what?" Sanzo asked.

"Oh, so you know of this too? You have a good friend, Cho Gonou. I'm sure he'll be worth losing." Chin Yisou remarked as he started towards them slowly. "I don't care what you do to me, but I will make sure you never lay a finger on Sanzo!" Hakkai replied placing himself between Chin Yisou and Sanzo.

"I mustn't lay a finger on him? Well then how shall I kill him?" Chin Yisou mused with a little chuckle. "In that case." Chin Yisou looked up catching Hakkai's gaze with his own. "You do it for me. Show me your face of anguish." Chin Yisou said.

Hakkai dropped to the ground, gripping his head. "Hakkai!" Sanzo exclaimed. "Stay back. Please don't come near me, Sanzo." Hakkai told him in a shaky voice. Sanzo took another step towards him anyway. As if it had a will of it's own, Hakkai's hand snapped out and he grabbed Sanzo by the throat.

Sanzo gasped as Hakkai gripped harder. "What a weak and fragile creature. It's was so easy to work my way into the crevices of your heart." Chin Yisou said as he came to a stop behind Hakkai. "Now hurry up and put him out of his misery." Chin Yisou added.

"No!" Hakkai snapped back. "Goodness, why not? You've taken so many lives. It should be easy for you to do." Chin Yisou replied. "It'll just be one more death added to the many that already taint your hands." he added.

-0-0-0-0-

A yell sounded over the trees making Yuai and Gojyo stop in their tracks. "That was Hakkai!" Yuai exclaimed. "What's going on!?" Gojyo asked. Goku jumped off Gojyo's shoulders then, wincing as his weight settled on his broken leg.

"Don't push it, monkey." Gojyo remarked. "I'm not pushing myself!" Goku snapped back. "I know that." Gojyo replied. Yuai was looking around franticly. "Calm down, Yuai. We'll find them." Gojyo told her. Yuai wasn't hearing him.

'_I have to find them. I can't let him hurt them!_' Yuai thought before she took off again. "Yuai!" Gojyo and Goku looked at each other before following the girl. It was clear she was completely frantic. She was bent on finding Hakkai and Sanzo and that was what she was going to do.

-0-0-0-0-

"Have you had enough time to remember me by now?" Chin Yisou asked as he stood over Hakkai who had Sanzo pinned to the ground by his throat. Hakkai remember alright. "I was sure I had killed you." Hakkai said.

"You're right. You did an excellent job of slicing into me. Cut down by you who had become a demon by being bathed in the blood of a thousand demons." Chin Yisou said bringing more flash backs to Hakkai's mind.

"But right before I breathed my last, I took this mahjong tile and buried it in my body." Chin Yisou said holding up a tile that read "Life". Hakkai stared wide eyed at him, repulsed by the thought. "Do you know why I did such a thing?" Chin Yisou asked. He leaned down to put his face near Hakkai's ear.

"It was so I could meet you, Cho Gonou. Because I wanted to see you suffer. I want to hear your voice in agony as you suffer." Chin Yisou told him. "I want to take everything form you and destroy you. " Chin Yisou added.

He smirked as he watched Hakkai's face. "And so I can take back little Yu-Yu again. I had meant to torture her a bit more and then kill her before you came along." Chin Yisou admitted. "She was starting to become such a master piece too. Now I can finish the job." he added.

Hakkai's eyes went even wider. Chin Yisou….he wanted to hurt her more…to put her back through that nightmare. "No." Hakkai denied over and over. Then he realized….Sanzo wasn't breathing. Slowly, shakily he pulled his hands away from Sanzo's throat, his arms back in his control.

Hakkai tried to wake the blond man, to get a response, but he wouldn't move or speak. Chin Yisou smirked as Hakkai let out a cry of anguish. "What a truly simple thing, Cho Gonou." Chin Yisou said before a voice reached them.

"Hakkai! Sanzo!" came Yuai's voice. "Sanzo!" Goku's joined hers. "My, it seems your friends are here. And they've brought Yu-Yu with them. Explain this to them." Chin Yisou remarked. "Now, it's time for you to lose everything." Chin Yisou added.

Hakkai got to his feet as the three came to a stop a few yards from him. "What's going on?" Goku asked as Yuai stared wide eyed at Sanzo on the ground. "Sanzo?" Goku called. "What's going on? Don't tell me that bastard, Chin Yisou, did it." Gojyo added. "I did it." came Hakkai's low voice. Yuai stared at his back, her eyes wide. "What did you say?" Gojyo asked. "I did it!" Hakkai repeated.

Yuai took a step back as Hakkai use his chi. The three jumped out of the way as he threw the blast at them. "What are you doing, Hakkai?" Goku asked. Chin Yisou chuckled from behind Hakkai. "It's no use. He's as good as my puppet now." Chin Yisou remarked.

Yuai's eyes darted between Chin Yisou, Hakkai, and Sanzo. "Liar." she said lowly, stepping between Goku and Hakkai. Hakkai was about to use another blast, but she didn't move. "Run, Yuai!" Gojyo yelled. "Hakkai won't hurt me." Yuai said firmly looking at Hakkai.

A grin flashed across Hakkai's face….before he fired the blast at Chin Yisou. Chin Yisou, shocked, was sent flying into a tree. "It was all an act?" Chin Yisou asked. Yuai let out a relieved breath as Sanzo appeared behind Chin Yisou, gun to the demon's head.

"Sanzo! Damn it, so you _**were**_ acting." Goku remarked. "Well, I figured as much. It was a hammy performance." Gojyo added. "Shut up!" Sanzo snapped. "We're sorry to have troubled you." Hakkai said rubbing the back of his head.

"Not at all, we enjoyed it quite a bit." Gojyo replied copying the gesture. "You knew, Yuai?" Gojyo asked looking at the girl. Yuai shook her head. "No. I just know….Hakkai would never hurt me. Or any of us." she said with a smile at Hakkai who was taken off guard.

"I see, what an interesting performance." Chin Yisou remarked. "He'd probably bite his own tongue rather than strangle me to death." Sanzo replied. "I believe you said, it was easy to work your way into the crevices of my heart." Hakkai remarked, Yuai looking up at him. "But unfortunately for you, my heart isn't big enough to have room for crevices." Hakkai added.

"You'll die, once more. And you won't ever lay a finger on Yuai again." Hakkai added. Yuai's eyes grew wide as she looked up at him. He….was protecting her? Chin Yisou's laughing drew her attention back to Chin Yisou.

"Bastard! What's so funny?" Gojyo snapped. "I don't mind dying again, but do you think you can defeat me with just your Qigong techniques?" Chin Yisou remarked. In a flash Chin Yisou was in the air. "Or will you remove your demon power limiters to fight!? Just as you did then!" Chin Yisou asked.

"There should be no need for that." Hakkai remarked calmly. Chin Yisou, landed on one foot in front of Hakkai, and that was his mistake. When he moved to jump forward…he found his foot frozen to the ground. He turned to find Yuai, knelled on the ground, palm to the earth, a trail of ice going from her to his feet. There was a determined look on her face. No fear…just determination.

"Did you forget….Yuai is an ice demoness." Hakkai remarked. As Chin Yisou turned to look at him Hakkai hit him with the Qigong up close. "I believe it was here, wasn't it?" Hakkai asked. "This is where I stabbed you, back then." he added.

"It's useless, your Qigong can't…" Hakkai cut Chin Yisou off. "Don't worry, there's an alternate use for Qigong techniques." Hakkai said pulling his hand back, yanking a mahjong tile from Chin Yisou's body. Chin Yisou sagged against him.

"I'm completely disappointed in you. I thought you'd provide more entertainment." Chin Yisou said weakly. "Thank you very much, though it is unfortunate for you." Hakkai replied. "Cho Gonou…" Chin Yisou growled. "No." Hakkai said crushing the tile in his hand. "I am Cho Hakkai." he told Chin Yisou.

"In the end, I despise you from the bottom of my heart, a hypocrite who has no scent of life." Chin Yisou said as his body stared to crumble away. "Believe me, the feeling is mutual." Hakkai replied. "I…am not a creature like you, without a past or a future." Hakkai added.

Yuai got to her feet watching Hakkai. "He's…gone. He's really gone." she said weakly. Hakkai turned to her to find a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "I'm so…relieved…" she said before swaying on her feet and falling forward. Hakkai caught her before she hit the ground.

"Yuai!" Goku exclaimed. "She's fine, Goku. Just tired." Hakkai told him as he smiled at the girl in his arms. "She's finally come out of a nightmare. Wouldn't you be tired?" he added with a smile.

-0-0-0-0-

"You perverted water sprite! What're you doing!? Quit it!" Hakkai looked up from the map in his hand to where Goku sat with Gojyo and Sanzo. Gojyo was writing and drawing all over the splint Sanzo had made for Goku's broken leg.

"Shut up! At least be quiet when your leg's broken!" Sanzo finally snapped smacking Goku with his paper fan. Goku grabbed his head. "Oh, my head bone broke too!" he exclaimed. Hakkai watched as Gojyo teased Goku some more before coming over to sit next to him.

"That was fun." Gojyo remarked. "You're very energetic for all that you're supposed to be an invalid too." Hakkai remarked. "Speak for yourself. You look like a weight was lifted off your shoulders." Gojyo remarked.

"I suppose. In some ways, he was my other self." Hakkai said looking up at the sky. "I've lived dragging my past around with me. Perhaps he was my ghost from the past." Hakkai added before raising his hand to look at it.

"Right now, I wish my lifeline were just a little longer. Because I have a short lifeline. So I suppose I won't get to live long." Hakkai remarked. "Then, all you have to do is this!" Goku said appearing behind Hakkai.

Using the marker Gojyo had been using he drew on Hakkai's hand making the lifeline longer. Hakkai stared at it as Sanzo hit Goku in the head with the paper fan again and scolded him about cleaning up after himself. Gojyo laughed at Goku until Hakkai spoke.

"Aw man. This is permanent ink." Hakkai remarked. "Yeah, permanent ink." Gojyo agreed. "Its not going to come off." Hakkai added. "Nope, not going to come off." Gojyo agreed. "But maybe that's a good thing." Gojyo added. "Yes, I suppose so." Hakkai agreed. "Now, let's get going!" Sanzo declared.

Hakkai pushed himself up off the hood of the jeep and turned to a large tree, in the shade of which, sat Yuai. The girl was all bandaged up, the arm of the shoulder that had been heavily injured, in a temporary sling.

She was also wearing one of Hakkai's spare shirts until she could get a replacement. All the blood had been washed away and she was reclining against a large sized Kokoro. At the moment she was staring off into the distance, clearly lost in thought.

Hakkai knelled next to her. "Yuai?" he asked. Yuai didn't speak for a moment. "I suppose…I really was dragging my past around." she remarked. "I was so afraid of it that I had created walking nightmares. When I saw him again…I thought it was a trick from my own imagination. I wasn't able to warn you because of that." she added. Hakkai watched her face.

"And when I realized that was wrong, I still said nothing. I was so scared that you would hate me. That the first people I've ever been able to befriend would turn their backs on me. I'm sorry, Hakkai." she told him, still not looking at him.

Hakkai watched her for a moment before he spoke. "I don't hate you, Yuai. None of us do." he told her. Yuai turned to look at him. "You were scared of him and you had a right to be. Sometimes what our rational minds do to protect their sanity, isn't always what's best. But you couldn't help that." he told her. "But that makes me weak. I'm not brave at all." Yuai told him looking back down at her hands in her lap.

"Yuai." he called making her look up at him. He gave her a smile. "In the end, you faced that fear. You challenged him and defied him. All to help us." he told her. "The way I see it….that's pretty brave." he told her. Yuai stared down at her hand.

"I always had an ache in my past wounds, almost as if they were warning me, "He's still alive". That ache is gone now." Yuai told him. "Then again it could just be gone because of the current pain I'm in." she added with a smile that Hakkai had to return.

Hakkai watched her for a moment before he had to ask her something. "Yuai." Yuai looked up at him. "The woman you made your oath with….was it Kanan?" he asked. Yuai's eyes narrowed in a sorrowful look. "The woman I made my oath with was dead long before you showed up, Hakkai. Lets leave it at that." she told him.

Hakkai blinked at her as she, with Kokoro's help, got to her feet. What did she mean, "Lets leave it at that"? "And Hakkai." Hakkai looked up at her as she looked down at him. He stood up to face her. "I think you were wrong. Your heart is a lot bigger then you give it credit for. How else could you have room for all four of us?" she said with a smile.

"And you're a lot better person then you think as well. Don't let what you did in the past put value on your present. As far as I and the others are concerned, that died the day you became Cho Hakkai." she told him softly.

Hakkai stared at her in surprise as she stood up on tip toe and planted a small kiss on his cheek. "I never got to thank you for saving me. I'll do that now. Thank you, Hakkai, for giving me back my life." she told him brightly.

Hakkai, a small blush on his cheeks, turned and watched her as she headed for the jeep where the others were pretending they hadn't just seen everything. Hakkai idly touched his cheek. In so many way she was like Kanan, but Yuai wasn't Kanan. He knew that.

Yuai had something about her that was completely and uniquely her own. She had a strength and softness that Kanan had never had. Yuai was kind, sweet, and had a beautiful heart despite the horrors of her past. She gave comfort and support where no one else would.

Yuai really was his light in a dark place. With that thought Hakkai realized something he hadn't realized before. Yuai was becoming a comfort and source of relief for all four of her companions. Was this the reason the Merciful Goddess had put her own niece with them.

Was this what the priestess meant by they 'would need what this child can provide'? Hakkai watched as Gojyo helped Yuai into the jeep. Yuai was stronger then him. This he knew. Only someone strong could offer comfort and a smile when she, herself, wouldn't take it.

"Come on Hakkai!" Goku called. Hakkai snapped out of his thoughts. For now they had a mission. He could think about it again later. Yuai looked up at him then and smiled. For now he wouldn't worry about. Yuai was with them and that was all that mattered.

END

Kyandi: Aww! It was so cute I could actually imagine it!

Yuai: You're a sucker for cute things.

Kyandi: Sue me. I am a female for crying out loud. Some females just like cute things.

Yuai: If you say so.

Kyandi: I do! Now lets get on with this. I have other stories to work on.

Yuai: Alright. Everyone please enjoy and review.

Kyandi: We will be back soon.

Yuai: Bye!


	14. Learning Lessons

Kyandi: We're back!

Yuai: Can't you manage a more polite hello.

Kyandi: How's that no polite?

Yuai: Just forget it.

Kyandi: Uh….okay. Anyway we have two new chapters for you!

Yuai: So here's the first.

Kyandi: Enjoy and review.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 14 Learning Lessons

"I'm starving." As always the day started off with Goku complaining of hunger. "We just ate for crying out loud." Gojyo remarked. "You call that eating? Nibbling more like." Goku complained. Yuai covered a laugh.

She had managed to get a new shirt, much like her old one and all the blood had been watched out of her shawl. She looked like the whole nasty episode with Chin Yisou had never happened. "I got some bad news." Hakkai said from the front seat.

"We've seem to run out of all of our supplies." he added. "What!?" Goku exclaimed. "For pete's sake. Here eat this." Gojyo said holding out something to Goku. "Are you sure!?" Goku asked excitedly. "Thanks." he said eating it.

Yuai made a face before covering a smile. "Wow, what is this?" Goku asked, after eating it. "Used tissue." Gojyo replied. "Ew!" Yuai remarked. "You ass-wipe!" Goku snapped. "Its your fault for being so pathetically gullible." Gojyo told him.

Yuai shook her head, leaving to the two to argue as she turned back to watch the road ahead of them. As usual now, she was draped over the back of Hakkai's seat, watching over his shoulder. Suddenly Goku popped up, placing to hands on Yuai head.

He held his nose up in the air. "Something smell delious!" Goku said. "You've got to be joking." Hakkai replied. "Quick turn right here!" Goku said lunging forward to grab the steering wheel. In the purpose he shoved Yuai's head down to smother her face in Hakkai's shoulder. "Hey! Let go of the wheel!" Hakkai said as the jeep jumped to the right. "Can't breathe!" Yuai choked out.

She shoved upward knocking Goku off of her. "Now my mouth taste like Hakkai's shirt." she remarked sticking her tongue out. "You don't have to sound so revolted." Hakkai remarked with a smile. "Hakkai, my friend, exactly how long has it been since you washed that shirt?" she asked.

"Good point." Hakkai replied. Hakkai followed Goku's direction leading them to a place called Mount Dumpling. There they found Liren. "Nah, not you guys again! Prepare to meet your doom!" Liren declared.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Goku asked as all five companion looked at the small girl. "What are **you** doing here?" Liren replied. Just then both Goku's and Liren's stomachs growled.

The two looked at each other before taking off, Goku yelling, "I smelled it first!" and Liren replying with, "I was here before you!". Yuai watched as the two vanished up the hill faster then she could have ever managed.

"I swear they both have the exact same behavior." Gojyo remarked. "If I didn't know any better I'd say she was Goku's little sister, rather then Kougaji's." Hakkai agreed. "Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Yuai asked.

"Who knows, some day they might make a good couple." she added making the three men with her look down at her. "You have got to be kidding." Gojyo remarked. Yuai smiled up at them. "You never know. The ways of a heart are mysterious to all. Even the owner of said heart." Yuai told him brightly before starting after Liren and Goku.

The three looked at each other before following Yuai. Yuai arrived first, the other three behind her to find Goku and Liren complaining about a mean tree. "You idiots!" Sanzo snapped, hitting both of them with a paper fan.

"What's the big idea?" Liren asked as she and Goku rubbed their head. "You two are trespassing in here." Sanzo told them. "You know, he's right." Hakkai remarked, Hakkaryuu on one shoulder and Kokoro on the other.

"You should ask the people in the temple for permission first." Yuai remarked. "But what if they say no? Can't you see I'm freaking starving to death over here?" Goku asked. "Yeah. Besides we already tried to eat them but all of the fruit are rotten." Liren asked. Yuai looked up then. "Rotten?" she asked. Hakkai and Yuai both looked up at the fruit hanging from the tree.

"And they smell so tasty too." Goku added. "What are you even wasting your time for if they're not even edible." Gojyo said. "Besides, where is everybody?" Gojyo added looking around. "Hello! Is anybody here?" Hakkai called.

Everyone turned as a door opened and a small bald boy appeared. "Who are you?" he asked. "Just travelers on our way west." Hakkai said. "No one to be suspious about. Despite how we look." Hakkai added glancing to the side to look at Gojyo.

"Don't you look at me when you say that." Gojyo replied. Yuai covered a laugh. "Hey do you have anything to eat around here? We're really very hungry." Goku asked. A second, similar boy appeared behind the first. "You are travelers?" the second one asked. "Twins?" Hakkai remarked. And it was then that the twins laid eyes on Sanzo.

Yuai found herself seated next to Hakkai and Gojyo in a hall with a plate holding five seeds in front of her. There was a faint oder about the seeds that Yuai didn't like. "Why don't I see anyone else here?" Sanzo asked.

"Usually our senior disciples are here, but they…" the first twin trailed off leaving the other to finish. "They all left with our master about a month or so ago off on some journey." the other finished. Kokoro sniffed at the seeds on Yuai's plate and puffed up and spat at them.

Hakkaryuu even turned his snout at them. "Don't worry you two I know how you feel." Yuai remarked lowly. She didn't like these seeds. Not one bit. No matter how hungry she was she wouldn't eat them.

"And you two have been watching this temple alone all this time?" Hakkai asked the twins. "Yes." the replied. "I'm just surprised you haven't been attacked by burgalers or demons, since then." Gojyo added. "That is probably only because we have the powers of the holy of the Ninginka here to protect us from harm." one twin said.

"Speaking of which why can't you eat them?" Goku asked. "They rot the second we touched them." Liren added. "You need special tools if you want to be able to pick the fruit from the tree." the second twin told them. "Besides the fruit of the Ninginka are not yet ripe to pick." his brother added. "I figured that much out." Goku replied. "Thank you, we really must go." Sanzo said as Gojyo got to his feet.

Yuai was more then happy to get to her feet. "You wouldn't dare make us go without eating at least a snack would you?" Goku asked. "Yes I would." Sanzo replied. "But can't we just…." Sanzo cut Goku off. "Never mind, lets just go." Sanzo told Goku.

"Well I'm not in a hurry, so I'm going to try one." Liren said popping a seed into her mouth. Then her face turned blue. "Eww….taste like puke." she remarked. The Sanzo party reached the temple gates when Liren blew past them.

"Bye! See you later!" she called. The five stared after her for a moment. "That the hell is that little girl on?" Gojyo asked. "Lets go." Sanzo said. "Wait." Goku and Yuai turned to find the twins behind them. One held a dumpling in his hands.

"Please take this." one twin said to Goku. "It'll help to ease your hunger while on your journey." the other added. "Thank you, you're the greatest!" Goku told them. "We have not had guest in so long. Its too bad." the first twin remarked.

"We would have liked you to stay with us until our master return, but we understand." the second added. Goku stared at the two and Yuai knew he was coming up with some kind of crazy plan in that head of his. "You two wait here for a moment." Goku told them.

Yuai watched Goku run off. She looked at the twins for a moment before following. Defiantly demon. She could smell it despite whatever it was masking the scent. Yuai caught up with Goku as he started yelling at Sanzo. When he blew past her she looked at Sanzo. "Just let him go. Its useless to try to talk to him anyway. I'm afraid some lessons can only be learned through living with your mistakes." Sanzo remarked.

Yuai looked after Goku. "You say that, now Sanzo. But the guilt would eat you alive if he got harmed." Yuai told him. Sanzo didn't look at her. "I'm staying with him. One logical head is better then none. You may feel free to call me an idiot as well." she told Sanzo before following Goku.

"Yuai!" Hakkai called after her but the girl was gone. "Is it me or did she seem a little mad?" Gojyo asked. Hakkai watched Yuai's retreating back. He wouldn't say she was angry. Maybe upset, but not angry.

-0-0-0-0-

"It was truly good of you to come back. Please eat." the twins told them. Yuai gave the two a smile. "No thank you. I'm not the one hungry." Yuai said. Goku on the other hand swallowed them whole before she could stop him.

"Argh! Those are truly awful, but I feel just dandy. This just means that Sanzo pegged you guys all wrong." Goku said. Yuai glanced at him. She wouldn't go that far. Yuai had a really bad feeling. She glanced at the twins and the back at Goku.

Kokoro sat on her shoulder, a low growl rolling off her. Goku got to his feet when Yuai did. She had to get them out of there now. "Well thank you." Goku told them. Yuai looked at the twins. Something about their expressions was good. "Lets go, Goku." Yuai said in her usual cheerful tone, though now it was fake.

"We'll be going now." Goku told them with a wave as he turned to follow Yuai. He didn't even make it to the door before he fell to his knees gripping his stomach. "Goku!?" Yuai exclaimed knelling beside him. "Goku?" she asked.

Goku glanced over her shoulder at the twins. "You guys …you really are the bad guys." Goku said upon seeing the glowing green eyes of the twins. "This time, Goku, listening to Sanzo would have been a good idea." Yuai told him.

This wasn't going to end well and she knew it. Yuai kept a hold of Goku's arm. He was shaking with the attempt to hold back whatever it was that Yuai could sense growing in him. She looked up as one of the twins tried to remove the demon limiter around Goku's head. Goku slapped the hand away.

"Don't touch me! How dare you. I trusted you!" Goku growled. Yuai watched the twins closely. "I promise you'll pay dearly for this!" Goku growled. "Yuai!" he said. Yuai got to her feet, summoning her own weapon to her hands as Goku did.

"And I keep my word." Goku told the twins as he and Yuai both got ready for a fight. "Goku don't push it." Yuai told him as she stuck to his side. She glanced at him to see a small sprout break free from Goku's skin.

"The seeds are finally beginning to take root." one twin said. Yuai looked at them. "I knew there was something bad about those seeds. I could smell it." Yuai remarked. The twins looked at her. "It was a foul, revolting stench." she added wrinkling her nose. The twins seemed surprised.

"You're demon. The seeds and the fruit should have lured you in." one said. "I'm not just demon." Yuai replied. Twin demonic grins split their faces. "Not all demon, but not demon and human. Could it be that you are a rare mix of demon and god?" they coursed.

Yuai's grip on her weapon tightened. "You'll make very good food for the Ninginka." they added. "You won't touch her!" Goku growled from Yuai's side. "You think you can defeat us in your condition?" the twins taunted. "Shut up!" Goku said attacking them but failing. "Goku, calm down!" Yuai told him. "His movement have grown quite sluggish." one twin remarked.

"That doesn't matter." Yuai told them, stepping in front of Goku. "I can still fight and I won't let you harm him." she told them. The twins looked at each other. "It looks like we'll have to use these." the twins said one holding a pair of clippers and the other a padded stool.

"What are those? Weapons?" Goku asked. "No. They're the tools for collecting the fruit." Yuai remarked. The twins grinned before quickly moving to the tree and removing a fruit. Yuai and Goku stared in amazement as the fruit grew and shaped itself into Liren.

Yuai and Goku both took a step back. "If we had allowed her to fully ripen, she would have become conscious like us." one of the twins remarked. "So this isn't the real, Liren." Yuai muttered. "Goku don't let your guard down." Yuai added. The two jumped apart when the Liren clone attacked.

"Defiantly a clone of Liren! Defiantly!" Yuai exclaimed. "Her powers are of the real thing." one twin remarked. "Hey lay off of us and lets get to the real root of the problem!" Goku told the clone. "Goku, that's not the real Liren. She won't listen to you." Yuai told him.

Yuai jumped back as the clone attacked her again before turning on Goku. "You're not nearly as cute as the real one!" Goku snapped at the clone. Yuai would have grinned, but now wasn't the time. Goku took down the Liren clone, but stepping outside they found dozens upon dozens of Goku and Liren clones.

"Oh this isn't going to be good." Goku remarked. "I agree." Yuai replied from his side. "No one can be stronger then themselves." one twin remarked from the tree branches above. "Will you give up now and become a pod person?" the other asked.

"We'll even let her become one." they added looking at Yuai. "Sorry, but my aunt would be disgraced if I let my godly blood be used for this." she remarked sourly. Yuai turned as roots suddenly burst free of Goku's skin, wrapping around him.

"Goku!" she exclaimed. "Its finally sprouted." one twin remarked. "Yes, lets seize him." the other added. Yuai turned to them, moving in front of Goku. "Over my dead body." she replied. The twins were about to send the clones after her but thankfully were stopped with the appearance of Sanzo, Gojyo, and Hakkai.

"Stop." Sanzo demanded. "Sanzo! Hakkai, Gojyo!" Yuai exclaimed. The three looked over the scene before them. "I thought one Goku was bad enough." Sanzo remarked. "You should think of all the trouble they'll cause other folks." Gojyo added. "Besides, illegal copies are infrengment of copy right." Hakkai added.

"I don't think right now is really the time to be joking." Yuai remarked. "We knew you guys would come back here for your friend." one twin remarked. "You saved us the trouble of chasing after you." the other added.

"So these guys must be Kougaji's assassins." Sanzo remarked. Yuai looked at the twins. "His own sister has become root bait. I find that unlikely." Hakkai added. "In that case then it's the mastermind pulling all of Kougaji's strings." Sanzo replied.

"That makes sense. The twisted personalities seem to point in that direction." Gojyo added. "Yuai, you just stay over there and keep an eye on Goku." Hakkai called to Yuai before the three turned to deal with the attacking clones. Yuai nodded, knelling beside Goku to check on him.

"For some reason it bothers me that their having this much fun defeating me. Whose side are they on anyway." Goku complained. Yuai gave him a sheepish smile. "Now, now, Goku. They are our friends. No matter how much fun their having." she told him.

She would deny they were having fun. That would be lying. Yuai turned to watch Sanzo as he shot the tree, putting an end to all of the clones and freeing Goku. "Goku! Are you alright?" Yuai asked her friend. Goku nodded before picking up his weapon and walking over to Sanzo.

"What the hell! Couldn't you have done that from the very beginning instead of having to fight them all?" Goku asked. Yuai shook her head. Apparently Goku didn't understand that it was a lesson he had to learn.

"That wouldn't have been satisfying." Sanzo replied. "What?" Goku asked. "For you I mean." Sanzo added. "Now hurry up and finish the job." Sanzo added. Yuai joined Hakkai and Gojyo as Goku finished the tree, shattering it into thousands of little pieces.

"Well….it certainly has been a long night." Yuai remarked. "You got that right." Gojyo replied. "For the risk of sounding like Goku….I'm hungry." Yuai said managing to make Gojyo and Hakkai laugh. "What? I'm serious." she replied only to get a pat on the head from Gojyo.

-0-0-0-0-

"Hey Sanzo." Yuai looked up as Goku leaned forward to talk to Sanzo who sat in the front seat reading a newspaper as usual. "What is it?" Sanzo asked. "I'm sorry." Goku told him. "Sorry? What for?" Sanzo asked still looking at his paper.

"I'm sorry I'm such an idiot." Goku replied. "Don't let that bother you. You're in good company." Sanzo replied. "You got that right." Gojyo remarked. "We wouldn't be going on this journey if we weren't all a bunch of idiots." Hakkai added.

"Speak for yourselves. I'm glad I came on this journey." Yuai remarked from where she was draped over the back of Hakkai's seat as usual. She gave them a smile when they looked at her. "I wouldn't have made such good friends if I hadn't." she explained.

"And if that makes me an idiot, then I guess I'm the biggest idiot to walk the earth." she added. "And I'm perfectly okay with that."

END

Kyandi: Its' not as long as some of my other chapters, so sorry!

Yuai: But we have one more after this.

Kyandi: Which, sadly, I think is shorter.

Yuai: Just hush and get it up.

Kyandi: Right! So enjoy and review!

Yuai: We'll be back shortly!

Kyandi: Bye!


	15. Cradle Aged Girlfriend

Kyandi: Do I even really have to do a welcome this time?

Yuai: Are you lazy?

Kyandi: No.

Yuai: Then you have to do a welcome.

Kyandi: *sigh* Hello everyone.

Yuai: We have another chapter for you.

Kyandi: Right, so enjoy and review.

Yuai: Kyandi-sama does not own Saiyuki.

Chapter 15 Cradle Aged Girlfriend

"I'm so stuffed!" Yuai covered a laugh as Hakkai laughed. "Well that's a new one." she remarked. The five sat at a bar, plates piled high from the mass amount of food Goku had eaten. "I never thought I'd live to hear those words pass through your lips Goku." Hakkai said.

"Its been a while since we've had a proper meal." Sanzo added. "Well I'm full. What do we do now huh?" Goku asked. "We'll find somewhere to stay for the night and then we'll head out first thing in the morning." Sanzo replied.

"Then first we should look for a hotel." Goku stated. "We're in luck. I believe there is a very nice one in the back of this very restruant." Hakkai said. Gojyo got to his feet then. "Well then." he said simply before turning to walk off.

"Gojyo, is something wrong?" Goku asked. Yuai and Hakkai leaned back to peer past the others as Gojyo. "We don't leave until tomorrow, we've already picked an inn, so there's only one thing left to do." Gojyo remarked.

Goku popped up in front of him copying Gojyo's thoughtful pose. "Eat a meal." Goku said. Yuai covered another laugh as Gojyo grabbed Goku by the front of his shirt and started shaking him. "Fool! Damn moronic monkey!" Gojyo said.

"Can't you ever talk about anything else!? You're driving me crazy!" Gojyo snapped. "Gojyo just wants to go find a woman." Yuai replied putting a stop to Gojyo's strangling of Goku. Gojyo looked over as Yuai who was sipping happily at her tea. "Have fun!" she told him. Gojyo smiled and gave a wave before leaving.

"You're just going to let him go?" Hakkai asked Sanzo. "Yeah, sure, why shouldn't I?" Sanzo asked. "Hey, Hakkai, Yuai! Why don't we use our night off to go shopping?" Goku asked. "That sounds good. Needed to pick up some more supplies for a while now. So lets go." Hakkai said.

Goku gave a cheer as Hakkai turned to Yuai. "What do you say Yuai?" he asked. Yuai smiled back. "Sure." she agreed. Sanzo held out his golden card to Hakkai. "Hey I'm running low on cigarettes, so why don't you pick up a carton for me. And just because this is a borrowed ATM card doesn't mean you should waste it on getting food for Goku." Sanzo told Hakkai.

"Tsh! Tight ass!" Goku snapped. Sanzo ignored him. "But pick up a few more clothes for Yuai. We don't need her walking around in our over sized clothes when hers get ripped." Sanzo added. Yuai gave him a smile.

"But it's fun!" she said as she got to her feet. Sanzo shot her a glare. "Hakkai's shirt nearly fell completely off your shoulders the last time." he remarked. Yuai grinned. "And the blush on your face was amusing to see." she remarked. "Get lost!" Sanzo snapped. Yuai and Hakkai laughed before taking off with Goku in tow.

-0-0-0-0-

"That's Gojyo." Goku remark made Yuai look up. Up ahead Gojyo was with a little girl, holding her hand. Goku freaked out and started pointing. "Why'd you stop here? What's the big hold up?" Hakkai asked.

"Gojyo's gotten so desperate that he's resorted to picking up underage girls!" Goku snapped. "Gojyo?" Hakkai asked turning to look where Goku was pointing. But the two were gone. "At where?" Hakkai asked.

Goku turned and stared. Yuai raised the bag she was holding to hide the grin on her face. "You're crazy! Nobody's there." Hakkai said with a laugh. "I swear I saw him with a girl about aye big and they were walking together holding hands!" Goku said holding up two finger about two inches apart.

"I just don't buy it. Look he may not appear it, but he's normal." Hakkai told Goku. Yuai didn't say a word and just simply watched the two. "You sure?" Goku asked. Yuai shook her head. "Don't worry about it Goku. I'm sure Gojyo knows better then to do anything like that." Yuai told Goku patting him on the arm.

"So lets get this back to the hotel." she added. Hakkai agreed with her. The three set off again, but Yuai glanced back over her shoulder a grin curving her lips. She had a pretty good idea what the little girl wanted from Gojyo and it wasn't what Goku thought. Yuai turned back and followed her friends back to the hotel.

"We're back." Hakkai and Goku said as they opened the door. "Oh wow, Gojyo's not back yet." Goku remarked. "Forgive us for being so late. Goku was nagging me so much I finally broke down and went on a bit of a spending spree." Hakkai told Sanzo giving him back the card.

"That's okay, it's not my money." Sanzo replied taking the card back. "Did you get Yuai's clothes?" he asked. Yuai smiled at him. "You worry too much." she told him setting a bag down. "Yes we got them." Hakkai replied.

"Well….as many as she would let me buy." he added rubbing the back of his head. Yuai gave them a smile. Sanzo just shook his head. "More importantly, what did you make of the place?" Sanzo asked Hakkai as Yuai packed her new clothes into her bag. "Seems peaceful enough. Lively too, but…" Hakkai trailed off making Sanzo look at him. "But?" Sanzo asked.

"I did hear one rumor." Hakkai admitted. "What rumor is that?" Sanzo asked. "Sounds like some demons have taken residence in the forest just west of town. There's been quite a few reports of some missing relatives. I'm betting it's the work of our old friends." Hakkai remarked.

"The disappearances seem to be accuring with greater frequency I'm afraid." Yuai added over her shoulder. Just then Goku popped into the conversation. "Hey! I saw something even more disturbing." he said before turning to Hakkai and Sanzo.

"Gojyo was on a date with a little bitty girl this big." Goku said. "Get out of here." Sanzo replied. Yuai shook her head before turning to Sanzo. "What should we do?" she asked. "The forest is directly in our path, so we'll find out either way." Sanzo replied. "I don't I go out and ask around a little more. See what I can find." Hakkai offered.

"You do that." Sanzo told him. Yuai looked up. "I'll go with you Hakkai." she said getting to her feet. "I heard another rumor I want to check out." she added under her breath. Hakkai and Sanzo looked at her when they heard the slightly darker tone in her voice.

"You okay, Yuai?" Hakkai asked. Yuai looked up and smiled. "Just fine." she replied. Hakkai stared at her for a moment. Whatever it was she wasn't likely to tell him what it was. Yuai blinked as she looked at the two. "Oh come on, stop giving me those looks already. If anything was wrong I'd tell you." she told them. The likely hood of that happening was very low and Hakkai knew it.

-0-0-0-0-

Yuai looked up as there was a scream. "See I told you they were an item." Goku remarked. "Now is not the time, Goku." Yuai remarked. "She's right." Hakkai remarked. "I'm right because I know the real reason Gojyo was with that little girl." Yuai retorted, leading the way.

"So you did see them!" Goku exclaimed. "Why didn't you back me up!?" Goku asked. "Like I said, now is not the time." Yuai replied. Thankfully they had heard the scream and arrived just in time to save Gojyo from behind eaten.

"Well, well, that was perfect timing." Gojyo remarked. "You know you really add some color to the place." Sanzo remarked. "Yeah, yeah, just get me down." Gojyo remarked. "I think we should take a photograph." Hakkai suggested. "Actually that sounds like a great idea." Yuai agreed. "Anything but that." Gojyo replied. "Aw don't be shy now. " Goku added.

"He took the words right out of my mouth." Yuai said with a small laugh while Sanzo shot Gojyo's restraints, letting him go. And it was then that, in Yuai's opinion, all hell broke loose. "You might want to aim for that." Hakkai said pointing up to where an eyeball floated above them.

"It looks like a weakness." he added. "You don't say." Goku snapped. "Yuai! Freeze the joint." Gojyo called. "I can only freeze so much with my demon limiter on." she warned before dropping to her knees. A blast of icy wind swept through the place and ice spread around her. The vines and other parts of the demon froze stiff giving Gojyo a clear aim for the eyeball.

Gojyo gave the thing a solid punch in the eye….no pun intended. The whole thing broke apart and fell apart until the raising sun was revealed. "I never thought I'd be so happy to be cold." Gojyo remarked turning to Yuai.

Yuai scoffed. "You wouldn't last a day in my home." she told him with a smile. "It's cold all the time." Gojyo made a face at that. "Thanks, but no thanks." he told her.

"Well if we keep heading the way we are, we'll come across my old home." Yuai remarked idly. Gojyo looked at her as she looked up at the sky. Was it just him or was there sometime, not right, about Yuai's tone. Maybe it was just him.

-0-0-0-0-

"I don't get it. How'd you three idiots figure out where you could find me, huh?" Gojyo asked. "I understand Yuai, but not you three." he added. Yuai covered a laugh. "We wanted to get a good look at that girlfriend of your's." Sanzo replied.

Gojyo's jaw dropped as Yuai dropped her face into her arms to cover a laugh. "We kept hearing all of these strange rumors of someone fitting your description that rampaged through the town and took off into the woods with a little girl." Hakkai said. Yuai was dying of laughter by now.

"That little girl was pretty cute. I had no idea you had such peculiuar taste." Goku added with a laugh. "Do you want to die monkey!?" Gojyo asked. "Why? It's the truth isn't it. You cradle robbing water sprite." Goku added.

Yuai, by now, was laughing so hard she was finding it hard to breath. "That's it. You're so dead." Gojyo told Goku. "Shut up or I'll kill you both." Sanzo snapped.

Gojyo turned to Yuai. "Yuai, you believe me right?" Gojyo asked. Yuai was so lost in her laughter that all she could do was flap a hand at him. She clearly wasn't going to be of any help. She took a deep breath, managing to get her laughter under control.

She turned to Gojyo and smiled brightly. "As long as your happy with your cradle age girlfriend, Gojyo." she said before she, Sanzo, Goku, and Hakkai, all broke into laughter. Gojyo sulked. Nope, she was no help at all.

END

Kyandi: It's so much fun to pick on Gojyo!

Yuai: We all think that.

Kyandi: Its so easy if you know what to aim for.

Yuai: That it is.

Kyandi: Anyway, so everyone enjoy and review.

Yuai: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


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